Loading patent…
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorThomas S. Ramotowski
Estimating the term…
A method is provided that increases fracture toughness and reduces brittleness of a semi-crystalline ferroelectric polymer material while substantially maintaining ferroelectric properties of the material. The material is heated in an inert oxygen-free atmosphere to a temperature above the material's Curie transition but below its melting temperature. The material is then irradiated with beta particles to provide a desired level of fracture toughness that substantially maintains ferroelectric properties of the material. In the case of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluorethylene), the heating temperature is just above the material's Curie transition temperature, the beta particles have an energy level of approximately 2.5 mega electron volts (MeV), and the radiation dose should not exceed approximately 50 megarads (Mrads).
A method for increasing fracture toughness and reducing brittleness of a semi-crystalline ferroelectric polymer material while substantially maintaining ferroelectric properties of said material, comprising the steps of:
A method for increasing fracture toughness and reducing brittleness of semi-crystalline ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluorethylene) while substantially maintaining ferroelectric properties thereof, comprising the steps of:
A method for increasing fracture toughness and reducing brittleness of annealed ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluorethylene), comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.