US2006057377A1PendingUtilityA1

Electrospun electroactive polymers

53
Assignee: U S A AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADPriority: Dec 19, 2003Filed: Dec 18, 2004Published: Mar 16, 2006
Est. expiryDec 19, 2023(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Joycelyn S. HarrisonKristin BurneyZoubeida OunaiesCheol ParkEmilie J. Siochi
D04H 3/16D01F 1/10D04H 3/02D01D 5/0038B82Y 30/00Y10T428/2913H10N 30/045H10N 30/857H10N 30/098
53
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
0
References
0
Claims

Abstract

Electroactive polymers are produced via electrospinning. The induction of electroactivity via electrospinning can be utilized with one or more soluble polymers with polarizable moieties. Suitable polymer classes include but are not limited to polyimides, polyamides, vinyl polymers, polyurethanes, polyureas, polythioureas, polyacrylates, polyesters, and biopolymers. Any one or more solvents sufficient to dissolve the one or more polymers of interest and make a spinnable solution can be utilized. The polymer can be electrospun into fiber and fibrous nonwoven mat. The electroactive polymer can be doped with inclusions, such as nanotubes, nanofibers, and piezoceramic powders for dielectric enhancement The availability of electroactive polymer fibers and fibrous nonwoven mat will enable many new applications for electroactive polymers.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An electrospun electroactive polymer.  
     
     
         2 . The electroactive polymer of  claim 1 , wherein said polymer is a fiber.  
     
     
         3 . The electroactive polymer of  claim 2 , wherein said fiber has a diameter between approximately 10 nm and approximately 10 μm.  
     
     
         4 . The electroactive polymer of  claim 1 , wherein said polymer is a fibrous nonwoven mat.  
     
     
         5 . The electroactive polymer of  claim 1 , wherein said polymer is electrospun from a solution comprising one or more polymers having polarizable moieties dissolved in one or more solvents, wherein said one or more solvents dissolves the one or more polymers of interest to make a spinnable solution.  
     
     
         6 . The electroactive polymer of  claim 5 , wherein said one or more polymers having polarizable moieties is selected from the group consisting of polymides, polyamides, vinyl polymers, polyurethanes, polyureas, polythioureas, polyacrylates, polyesters and biopolymers.  
     
     
         7 . The electroactive polymer of  claim 6 , wherein said one or more polyimides is selected from the group consisting of 2,6-bis(3-aminophenoxy)benzonitrile ((β-CN)APB)/4,4′oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA) ((β-CN)APB-ODPA) and amorphous polyimide.  
     
     
         8 . The electroactive polymer of  claim 7 , wherein said amorphous polyimide is amorphous polyetherimide.  
     
     
         9 . The electroactive polymer of  claim 6 , wherein said one or more polyamides is an odd-numbered nylon.  
     
     
         10 . The electroactive polymer of  claim 6 , wherein said one or more vinyl polymers are selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and trifluoroethylene (PVDF/TrFE), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), graft elastomer, and vinyl copolymer.  
     
     
         11 . The electroactive polymer of  claim 6 , wherein said one or more polyacrylates is poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA).  
     
     
         12 . The electroactive polymer of  claim 6 , wherein said one or more biopolmers is selected from the group consisting of polypeptide and keratin.  
     
     
         13 . The electroactive polymer of  claim 5 , wherein said one or more solvents is selected from the group consisting of N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF), N,N-Dimethylacetamide (DMAc), N-methylpyrrolidinone (NMP), toluene, and cosolvent.  
     
     
         14 . The electroactive polymer of  claim 13 , wherein said cosolvent is DMF/acetone.  
     
     
         15 . The polymer of  claim 1 , further comprising inclusions for dielectric enhancement.  
     
     
         16 . The polymer of  claim 15 , wherein said inclusions are selected from the group consisting of nanotubes, nanofibers, and piezoceramic powders.  
     
     
         17 . The polymer of  claim 16 , wherein said nanotubes are selected from the group consisting of single-walled carbon nanotubes and multi-walled carbon nanotubes.  
     
     
         18 . A process for producing polymeric materials for electroactive applications comprising electrospinning of a solution comprising one or more polymers having polarizable moieties dissolved in one or more solvents, wherein said one or more solvents dissolves the one or more polymers of interest to make a spinnable solution.  
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18 , wherein said one or more polymers having polarizable moieties is selected from the group consisting of polyimides, polyamides, vinyl polymers, polyurethanes, polyureas, polythioureas, polyacrylates, polyesters and biopolymers.  
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 19 , wherein said one or more polyimides is selected from the group consisting of 2,6-bis(3-aminophenoxy)benzonitrile ((β-CN)APB)/4,4′oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA) ((β-CN)APB-ODPA) and amorphous polyimide.  
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein said amorphous polyimide is amorphous polyetherimide.  
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 19 , wherein said one or more polyamides is an odd-numbered nylon.  
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 19 , wherein said one or more vinyl polymers are selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and trifluoroethylene (PVDF-/TrFE), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), graft elastomer, and vinyl copolymer.  
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 19 , wherein said one or more polyacrylates is poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA).  
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 19 , wherein said one or more biopolmers is selected from the group consisting of polypeptide and keratin.  
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 18 , wherein said one or more solvents is selected from the group consisting of N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF), N,N-Dimethylacetamide (DMAc), N-methylpyrrolidinone (NMP), toluene, and cosolvent.  
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 26 , wherein said cosolvent is DMF/acetone.  
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 18  wherein said solution further comprises inclusions for dielectric enhancement.  
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 28 , wherein said inclusions are selected from the group consisting of nanotubes, nanofibers, and piezoceramic powders.  
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 18 , wherein said polymeric material is a fiber.  
     
     
         31 . The process of  claim 30 , wherein said fiber has a diameter between approximately 10 nm and approximately 10 μm.  
     
     
         32 . The process of  claim 18 , wherein said polymeric material is a fibrous nonwoven mat.  
     
     
         33 . A process for producing polymeric materials for electroactive applications, comprising the in situ induction of polar phase and spontaneous dipolar orientation of electroactive polymers via electrospinning a polymer solution, wherein said solution comprises one or more polymers having polarizable moieties dissolved in one or more solvents, wherein said one or more solvents dissolves the one or more polymers of interest to make a spinnable solution.

Join the waitlist — get patent alerts

Track US2006057377A1 — get alerts on status changes and closely related new filings.

We store only your email — no account needed. See our privacy policy.