No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

A novel electromechanical foam (EFOAM) material capable of acting as an electromechanical transducer with integrated functions as a sensoractuator is investigated by manufacturing some samples of the foam and performing some tests, based on the piezo-electric effect in electro-active polymers. The resulting charge, when different known weights are applied to the sample were observed and recorded with a charge amplifier while the actuator sensitivity was also estimated using the micro-scanning laser Doppler vibrometer. EFOAM is manufactured from expancel microspheres and heated by placing the microspheres in glass slides heated up to temperatures of 135 0 C for expansion. Different samples were manufactured and charged using the corona discharge method operating under an electric field of between 11kV/cm to 15kV/cm. EFOAM displayed an electro-mechanical sensitivity of 1nm/V when characterized, and is observed that the piezoelectric nature of EFOAM exists as a characteristic of each cell within the material sample. This novel material offers much promise in the area of production of miniature electromechanical devices which maybe well applied in electroacoustic applications.

No abstract