Elsevier

Nano Energy

Volume 73, July 2020, 104737
Nano Energy

3D-printed flexible, Ag-coated PNN-PZT ceramic-polymer grid-composite for electromechanical energy conversion

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nanoen.2020.104737Get rights and content

Highlights

The first 3D printing piezoelectric composites based on PDMS matrix is achieved.

Printed ceramic composites shows a remarkable mechanical property.

3D printed piezoelectric composites exhibits notable sensing property after poling.

Abstract

Piezoelectric ceramic materials such as Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) based ceramics have excellent electromechanical energy conversion ability, however, their rigid and undeformed characters are not suitable for flexible electronics application. Here, we report the design of flexible (0–3) connection ceramic-polymer composite made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomeric matrix doped with Ag-coated PNN-PZT (0.55Pb(Ni1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.135PbZrO3-0.315PbTiO3) ceramic heterojunction particles, and the 3D printing method for fabricating complex three-dimensional grid architectures. It was found that the 3D-printing, non-stereolithographic grid-composite exhibits a greater flexible character after doping ceramic particles and also excellent electromechanical coupling with a piezoelectric voltage coefficient g33 as high as 400 × 10−3 m V N−1, which is one order of magnitude higher than that of PZT based ceramics. Under drop hammer (~20 N) impact, it can instantly drive over 20 commercial red-LEDs lighting directly without using a charge storage capacitor. This work shows that 3D-printed flexible ceramic-polymer composite has potential to replace brittle piezoceramics for electromechanical energy conversion and touching force sensor applications, such as soft robotics, artificial muscles and biology signal identification.

Keywords

3D printing
Piezoceramics
PDMS
Sensing
Electromechanical energy conversion

Zehuan Wang is a Ph.D. candidate of advanced materials and mechanics at Peking University. He received the B.E. degree in materials science from Qingdao University of Science and Technology, China, in 2014. He has received the M.S. degree in polymer chemistry and physics from Renmin University of China, China, in 2017. His research focuses on 3D printing for sensor and energy harvester.

Xiaoting Yuan is a Ph.D. candidate of advanced materials and mechanics at Peking University. She received the B.E. degree from Tiangong University, China, in 2017. Her research focuses on 3D printing for energy harvester.

Jikun Yang is a Ph.D. candidate of materials science and engineering at Peking University. He received the B.E. degree in physics from University of Science and Technology Beijing, China, in 2016. His research focuses on piezoelectric materials and devices, metamaterials and 3D printing ceramics.

Yu Huan received her Ph. D. from Tsinghua University in 2016. She is now a lecturer in University of Jinan. Her research focuses on piezoelectric ceramics, piezoelectric composite materials and their applications.

Xiangyu Gao received his B.E. degree in materials science and engineering from the Central South University, China, in 2014 and his Ph.D. degree in advanced materials and mechanics from Peking University, China, in 2019. He is now a lecturer in Xi'an Jiaotong University, China. His research focuses on piezoelectric materials and devices.

Zhanmiao Li is a Ph.D. candidate of advanced materials and mechanics at Peking University. She received the B.E. degree from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China, in 2018. Her research focuses on piezoelectric actuator.

Hong Wang is a chair professor of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China. Her main research interests include dielectric materials, ceramicpolymer composites, and dielectric measurements for applications in passive integration and electronic devices. She has authored and co-authored more than 220 peer-reviewed papers and 2 book chapters. She holds 27 Chinese patents and 1 U S. patent and has presented over 40 invited talks in international academic conferences. She is a senior member of IEEE, the chair of the Executive Committee of the Asian Electroceramic Association (AECA), and a member of IEEE UFFC society's Ferroelectric Committee.

Shuxiang Dong is a tenured professor of Materials Science & Engineering at College of Engineering, Peking University, China. He received his master degree and doctor degree from Tsinghua University, China, in 1989 and 1993, respectively. Professor Dong's research focuses on piezoelectric ceramics and magnetoelectric composite materials, piezoelectric actuators and micromotors, magnetic sensors, smart electronic devices, and their applications. He has authored over 160 peer-reviewed papers and 30 patents. Prof. Dong was chosen as Most Cited Chinese Researchers in 2014–2019, who were regarded as most influential scientists in the world by Elsevier.

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