Disentangled PVDF for high electromechanical efficiency thin films and fibers

Abstract

A polymer article includes an at least partially disentangled polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) family member composition and is characterized by an elastic modulus of at least 4 GPa and an electromechanical coupling factor (k31) of at least 0.1 at room temperature. A method of manufacturing such a polymer article may include forming an at least partially disentangled polymer composition into a polymer thin film or fiber, applying a tensile stress to the polymer article in an amount effective to induce a stretch ratio of at least approximately 5 in the thin film or fiber, and applying an electric field across a thickness dimension of the polymer article. Annealing and poling steps may separately or simultaneously accompany and/or follow the act of stretching.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.