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Polymer actuation using a Joule-heating-induced ferroelectric phase transition

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The output mechanical energy densities of ferroelectric polymers remain orders of magnitude smaller than those of piezoelectric ceramics and crystals, limiting their applications in soft actuators. But polymer composites subject to an electro-thermally driven ferroelectric phase transition under low electric fields are now shown to have giant actuation strains and large energy densities.

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Fig. 1: Electro-thermal actuation strain of PVDF nanocomposites.

References

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This is a summary of: Liu, Y. et al. Electro-thermal actuation in percolative ferroelectric polymer nanocomposites. Nat. Mater. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-023-01564-7 (2023).

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Polymer actuation using a Joule-heating-induced ferroelectric phase transition. Nat. Mater. 22, 814–815 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-023-01566-5

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