3D Printing Additive Manufacturing of Piezoelectric & Pyroelectric Devices and Components
Recently there are a few researchers started to use 3D printing or additive manufacturing process to produce piezoelectric and pyroelectric devices and components. Polymers such as PVDF or PVDF-TrFE can be either printed using the extruder (melt) technology or ink-jet printing (solution-based) process.
PVDF is very low cost and available in large quantity from several manufacturers. However, in a typical manufacturing process, films or parts fabricated with PVDF resin much be mechanicall stretched so the PVDF polymer chain can be converted from alpha phase to beta phase. Then high voltage poling can align the PVDF in beta phase to achieve strong piezo response. If the stretching process cannot be performed (such in a bulky PVDF parts produced by 3D printing), majority of the PVDF chains will be in alpha phase (>80%) and the piezo response will be weak. [It shall be noted that very high voltage and long term poling can also induce piezo response in alpha phase PVDF].
In contrary, PVDF-TrFE copolymer with TrFE content of 50% mol to 80% mol) will be "always" in the active beta phase no matter what process you use. After 3D printing or ink-jet printing, the copolymer chains will be almost all in the beta phase without mechanical stretching. A consequent high voltage poling can induce strong piezo response in the PVDF-TrFE parts produced by 3D printing or other additive manufacturing process.
Therefore, PVDF-TrFE copolymers will be a natural choice for additive manufacturing of advanced complex piezo parts.
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PolyK has developed roll-to-roll production of piezoelectric PVDF film with high piezoelectric coefficient.
- In-house roll-to-roll production of piezoelectric PVDF film with thickness from 10 um to >200 um: consistent quality and low cost.
- Beta Phase PVDF film (non poled) with high optical transparency: design your own poling pattern for special applications.
- Poled PVDF film (no electrode) with high d33 and d31 with our proprietary film production and poling process using best resin.
- Produce special thickness film based on application with short lead time.
- Supply paper-size film for R&D to >100 m long film for OEM, quick deliver.
- Special electrodes can be applied based on required: sputtered gold, silver paste, etc.
More recently, we successfully developed process to produce ultrathin poled piezoelectric PVDF-TrFE copolymer film with thickness below 5 um (free-standing) for medical ultrasound transducer application.
We are a small company so we will respond your request very quickly.