POLYMER DIODE

• US 20150295175A1
• Filed: 10/24/2013
• Published: 10/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parker Intangibles LLC (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
• Inventors: Hitchcock, Roger N., Quan, Xina, Yoo, Mikyong, Kridl, Thomas, Yuan, Fang
• Granted Patent: US 9,590,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/20 Organic diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/12 comprising dopants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/135 comprising mobile ions
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/10 Organic polymers or oligomers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/322 comprising boron
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/658 Organoboranes

Abstract

The present invention provides flexible polymer diodes in the form of a printable polymer sandwich configuration similar to that found in electroactive polymer transducers. The inventive flexible polymer diodes comprise a dielectric layer sandwiched between a pair of electrodes. With appropriate optional additives introduced in the electrode formulation and the proper electrical properties in the electrode, a device may be constructed which allows current to pass through for only one polarity of applied voltage.

Claims

1. A flexible polymer diode comprising:

a dielectric elastomer material;

a first electrode material on a first side of the dielectric elastomer material; and

a second electrode material on a second side of the dielectric elastomer material.

2. The flexible polymer diode according to claim 1, further comprising an electrically active additive.

3. The flexible polymer diode according to claim 2, wherein the electrically active additive comprises one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of ionic salts, iodonium salts and sulfonium salts.

4. The flexible polymer diode according to claim 2, wherein the electrically active additive comprises one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of (4-tert-Butylphenyl)diphenyl sulfonium triflate, Tris(pentafluorophenyl) boron, 4-isopropyl-4′

-methyldiphenyliodonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, Sodium tetraphenylborate, sodium tetrakis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate, bis(4-tert-butylphenyl)iodonium triflate, tris({4-[(4-acetylphenyl)sulfanyl]phenyl})sulfanium tetrakis(penta-fluorophenyl)borate, sodium chloride and a phthalocyanine.

5. The flexible polymer diode according to claim 2, wherein the first electrode material and the second electrode material are configured such that a current may be pass from one of the first electrode material or the second electrode material to the other of the first electrode material or the second electrode material for only one polarity of voltage applied to either the first electrode material or the second electrode material.

6. The flexible polymer diode according to claim 2, wherein one of the first electrode material or the second electrode material comprises the electrically active additive.

7. The flexible polymer diode according to claim 6, wherein the electrically active additive comprises one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of ionic salts, iodonium salts and sulfonium salts.

8. The flexible polymer diode according to claim 6, wherein the electrically active additive comprises one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of (4-tert-Butylphenyl)diphenyl sulfonium triflate, Tris(pentafluorophenyl) boron, 4-isopropyl-4′

-methyldiphenyliodonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, Sodium tetraphenylborate, sodium tetrakis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate, bis(4-tert-butylphenyl)iodonium triflate, tris({4-[(4-acetylphenyl)sulfanyl]phenyl})sulfanium tetrakis(penta-fluorophenyl)borate, sodium chloride and a phthalocyanine.

9. The flexible polymer diode according to claim 2, wherein the electrically active additive comprises a functional group that reacts with the dielectric elastomer material to limit a diffusivity of the electrically active additive.

10. The flexible polymer diode according to claim 2, wherein the electrically active additive is a compound that is photo labile or thermally labile.

11. The flexible polymer diode according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric elastomer material is photo treated or thermally treated.

12. The flexible polymer diode according to claim 11, wherein the photo treatment or the thermal treatment is configured to release fragments of the dielectric elastomer material that comprises an electrically active additive.

13. The flexible polymer diode according to claim 11, wherein the photo treatment or the thermal treatment is configured to release fragments of the dielectric elastomer material that reacts with a functional group in the dielectric matrix material.

14. The flexible polymer diode according to claim 2, wherein the electrically active additive comprises sodium tetrakis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate.

15. The flexible polymer diode according to claim 2, wherein one of the first electrode material or the second electrode material is grounded.

16. The flexible polymer diode according to claim 15, wherein the one of the first electrode material or the second electrode material that is grounded is a grounded electrode material, and wherein a negative voltage is applied to one of the first electrode material or the second electrode material that is not grounded.

17. The flexible polymer diode according to claim 15, wherein the one of the first electrode material or the second electrode material that is grounded is a grounded electrode material, and wherein a positive voltage is applied to one of the first electrode material or the second electrode material that is not grounded.

18. The flexible polymer diode according to claim 2, wherein a voltage with alternating polarity is applied to one of the first electrode material or the second electrode material.

19. The flexible polymer diode according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric elastomer material comprises a permanent compositional gradient.

20. The flexible polymer diode according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first electrode material and the second electrode material are coupled to an electrical circuit.