Collaborative Research: Tuning Properties of Bi-Continuous Piezoelectric Composites via Additive Manufacturing

这笔赠款将支持与下一代柔性电子设备的设计和制造相关的新知识的研究。这项工作将促进对双连续压电复合材料工艺-结构-性能关系的基本理解，这是一种新兴的柔性材料，在将机械能转化为电信号方面具有潜在的高效率。双连续压电复合材料由陶瓷相和聚合物相组成，在三维(3D)上连续互连。到目前为止，双连续压电复合材料只能以聚合物浸渍的开孔陶瓷结构的形式实现，其性能不能准确可靠地控制。通过利用添加剂制造方法，本研究将为如何通过添加剂制造仔细控制双连续压电复合材料的微观和细观结构来精确调节其性能提供新的知识。这一新知识将使下一代压电器件的开发成为可能，这些器件成本低、重量轻、具有广泛的工作温度、高机械灵活性和先进的机电性能。该奖项还将通过旨在吸引来自代表性不足群体的学生和K-12学生参加STEM学科的活动，加强爱荷华州和密西西比州的研究和教育基础设施。该研究计划的目标是通过添加剂制造发现新的基础知识，用于设计和制造具有受控性能的双连续压电复合材料。第一个研究目标是了解双连续压电复合材料在添加剂制造过程中形成多孔微结构的基本机制。为了实现这一研究目标，将建立一种相场建模方法来生成具有所需连通性的三维互连相界面的双连续压电复合材料设计。第二个研究目标是量化相形态(如相界面几何形状)对添加制备的双连续压电复合材料的压电性能的影响，该陶瓷相含有已确定的多孔微结构。为了实现这一研究目标，将构建一个双尺度计算模型来预测预定义三维相界面加成制造的双连续压电复合材料的压电性能。计算模型将通过对选定的双连续压电复合材料结构的压电性能进行表征来验证。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This grant will support research that will contribute new knowledge relates to the design and manufacture of next-generation flexible electronic devices. The work will advance fundamental understanding of process-structure-property relationships of a bi-continuous piezoelectric composite, an emerging flexible material with potentially high efficiency in converting mechanical energy into electrical signals. A bi-continuous piezoelectric composite is composed of a ceramic phase and a polymer phase, continuously interconnected in three dimensions (3D). Until now, bi-continuous piezoelectric composites can only be achieved in the form of an open-porosity ceramic structure impregnated by polymers, whose properties cannot be controlled accurately and reliably. By utilizing additive manufacturing methods, this research will provide new knowledge on how properties of a bi-continuous piezoelectric composite can be accurately tuned through careful control of its micro- and meso-structure via additive manufacturing. This new knowledge will enable the development of next-generation piezoelectric devices that are low cost and lightweight, with a wide range operating temperatures, high mechanical flexibility and advanced electromechanical performance. This award will also enhance the infrastructure for research and education in the states of Iowa and Mississippi through activities designed to attract students from underrepresented groups and K-12 students to STEM disciplines.The objective of this research program is to uncover new fundamental knowledge for the design and manufacture of bi-continuous piezoelectric composites with controlled properties via additive manufacturing. The first research objective is to understand the fundamental mechanisms of porous microstructure formation in bi-continuous piezoelectric composites during additive manufacturing. To achieve this research objective, a phase-field-modeling method will be established to generate bi-continuous piezoelectric composite designs with 3D interconnected phase interfaces of desired connectivity. The second research objective is to quantify the effect of phase morphologies such as phase interfacial geometry on the piezoelectric properties of an additively manufactured bi-continuous piezoelectric composite with identified porous microstructures incorporated in the ceramic phase. To achieve this research objective, a two-scale computational model will be constructed to predict the piezoelectric properties of additively manufactured bi-continuous piezoelectric composites with predefined 3D phase interfaces. The computational model will be validated through characterizing piezoelectric properties of selected bi-continuous piezoelectric composite structures.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.