Piezoelectric composite nanofibers, nanotubes, nanojunctions and nanotrees

A method of fabricating an article that includes piezoelectric fibers having nanoscale diameters using an electrospinninq apparatus having a hollow, electrically-conductive needle, said method comprising the steps of:

• selecting a precursor material comprising lead zirconate titanate, poly(vinyl pyrrolidine) and an alcohol, the precursor material being a sol-gel of the lead zirconate titanate;
• providing the precursor material to an inlet opening in the needle at a controlled rate, the precursor material flowing from the inlet opening to an outlet opening in the needle, the outlet opening having a micron-scale diameter;
• applying a high electrical voltage across the hollow needle and a substrate proximate to the outlet opening, so as to spin a fiber from the needle;
• collecting the fiber on the substrate;
• and
• heating the fiber at a temperature of about 80° C. for about 5 minutes, then heating the fiber at a temperature of about 380° C. for about 5 minutes, then maintaining the fiber at a temperature of about 650° C. for about 1 hour, thereby transforming at least a portion of the lead zirconate titanate into crystals having a perovskite structure.

A method of fabricating an article that includes piezoelectric fibers having nanoscale diameters using an electrospinning apparatus having a hollow, electrically-conductive needle, said method comprising the steps of:

• selecting a precursor material that is transformed into a piezoelectric material upon heating and has a sufficiently low viscosity such that the precursor material flows through the hollow needle;
• providing the precursor material to an inlet opening in the needle at a controlled rate, the precursor material flowing from the inlet opening to an outlet opening in the needle, the outlet opening having a micron-scale diameter;
• applying a high electrical voltage across the needle and a substrate proximate to the outlet opening, so as to spin a fiber from the needle;
• collecting the fiber on the substrate;
• and
• heating the fiber, whereby the fiber is transformed into a piezoelectric fiber.