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Yan H, Wei C, Wang Z, Liu L, Zhu Z, Zhang J, Zhu J, Zhang W. Electromechanical Performances of Polyvinyl Chloride Gels Using (Polyvinyl Chloride-Co-Vinyl Acetate) (P(VC-VA)) Synergistic Plasticization. Polymers (Basel) 2024; 16:1904. [PMID: 39000759 PMCID: PMC11244539 DOI: 10.3390/polym16131904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The current polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gel flexible actuators are facing challenges of high input voltage and an insufficient elastic modulus. In this study, we conducted a detailed study on the properties of PVC gel prepared by introducing the modifier polyvinyl chloride-vinyl acetate (P(VC-VA)). We compared a modified PVC gel with the traditional one in terms of the relative dielectric constant, mechanical modulus, and electromechanical actuation performance. Experimental results demonstrated that the introduction of P(VC-VA) enhanced the dielectric constant and reduced the driving electric field strength of PVC gels. The dielectric constant increased from 4.77 to 7.3. The electromechanical actuation performance increased by 150%. We employed the Gent model to fit the experimental results, and the actual experimental data aligned well with the expectations of the Gent model. The research results show that this type of plasticizing method effectively balanced the mechanical and electrical performance of PVC gels. This study summarizes the experimental results and performance analysis of PVC gels prepared using innovative plasticization methods, revealing the potential engineering applications of polymeric gels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Yan
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Chang Wei
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Zexing Wang
- Shaanxi Key Lab of Intelligent Robots, School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Lei Liu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
- Research & Development Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518063, China
| | - Zicai Zhu
- Shaanxi Key Lab of Intelligent Robots, School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Junshi Zhang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
- Research & Development Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518063, China
| | - Jihong Zhu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Weihong Zhang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
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Li X, Lin M, Ali I, Ali A, Irfan M, Soomro TA, Choi SH, Yang W, Li H, Rahman S, Faraj Mursal SN, Jazem Ghanim AA, Alyahyawy O, Al thagafi MA. Characteristics Analysis of Plasticized Polyvinyl Chloride Gel-Based Microlens at Different Temperatures. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:28924-28931. [PMID: 37576690 PMCID: PMC10413451 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c04546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Temperature plays a crucial role in the preparation of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gels for optical applications. Incorrect temperature selection can lead to various issues such as poor surface roughness, inadequate light transmission, and insufficient solution for optical devices. To address this challenge, this study focuses on the preparation of PVC gel samples by combining PVC powder (n = 3000), eco-friendly dibutyl adipate, and tetrahydrofuran at different stirring temperatures ranging from 40 to 70 °C. The PVC gel preparation process is categorized into four groups (T40, T50, T60, and T70) based on the mixing temperatures, employing a controlled test method with specific temperature conditions. The prepared PVC gel samples are then subjected to analysis to evaluate various properties including surface morphology, tensile strength, light transmittance, and electrical response time. Among the samples, the PVC gel prepared at 60 °C (referred to as T60) exhibits excellent optical properties, with a transmittance of 91.2% and a tensile strength of 2.07 MPa. These results indicate that 60 °C is an optimal reaction temperature. Notably, the PVC gel microlenses produced at this temperature achieve their maximum focal length (ranging from -8 to -20 mm) within approximately 60 s, and they recover their initial state within around 80 s after the power is switched off. This focal length achievement is twice as fast as reported in previous studies on microlenses. It is observed that the reaction temperature significantly influences the solubility of the resin-based raw materials and the homogeneity of the gel. Consequently, these findings open up possibilities for utilizing PVC gel microlenses in novel commercial optics applications, thanks to their desirable properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xudong Li
- College
of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, P. R. China
| | - Min Lin
- Beijing
Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering,
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Imdad Ali
- College
of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, P. R. China
| | - Ahmed Ali
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering Department, Sukkur IBA University, Sukkur 65200, Pakistan
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea
| | - Muhammad Irfan
- Electrical
Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Najran University, Najran 61441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Toufique A. Soomro
- Department
of Electronic Engineering, Quaid-e-Awam
University of Engineering, Science and Technology Larkana Campus, Nawabshah 67480, Pakistan
| | - Seung Ho Choi
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea
| | - Weimin Yang
- College
of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, P. R. China
| | - Haoyi Li
- College
of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, P. R. China
| | - Saifur Rahman
- Electrical
Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Najran University, Najran 61441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Salim Nasar Faraj Mursal
- Electrical
Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Najran University, Najran 61441, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Othman Alyahyawy
- King
Abdulaziz Hospital, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22252, Saudi Arabia
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Wang X, Zhao Z, Zhang M, Liang Y, Liu Y. Polyurethanes Modified by Ionic Liquids and Their Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11627. [PMID: 37511385 PMCID: PMC10380480 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Polyurethane (PU) refers to the polymer containing carbamate groups in its molecular structure, generally obtained by the reaction of isocyanate and alcohol. Because of its flexible formulation, diverse product forms, and excellent performance, it has been widely used in mechanical engineering, electronic equipment, biomedical applications, etc. Through physical or chemical methods, ionic groups are introduced into PU, which gives PU electrical conductivity, flame-retardant, and antistatic properties, thus expanding the application fields of PU, especially in flexible devices such as sensors, actuators, and functional membranes for batteries and gas absorption. In this review, we firstly introduced the characteristics of PU in chemical and microphase structures and their related physical and chemical performance. To improve the performance of PU, ionic liquids (ILs) were applied in the processing or synthesis of PU, resulting in a new type of PU called ionic PU. In the following part of this review, we mainly summarized the fabrication methods of IL-modified PUs via physical blending and the chemical copolymerization method. Then, we summarized the research progress of the applications for IL-modified PUs in different fields, including sensors, actuators, transistors, antistatic films, etc. Finally, we discussed the future development trends and challenges faced by IL-modified PUs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
| | - Zhenjie Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
| | - Meiyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
| | - Yongri Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
| | - Yingdan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
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Irfan M, Ali I, Ali A, Ahmed M, Soomro TA, Yang W, Rahman S, Faraj Mursal SN, Jalalah M, Jazem Ghanim AA. Analysis of the Performance of a Gel Actuator Made of Plasticized Polyvinyl Chloride/Carboxylated Cellulose Nanocrystals. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:17976-17982. [PMID: 37251157 PMCID: PMC10210034 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c01172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Recently, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gel materials appeared promising for developing actuators, artificial muscles, and sensors. However, their energized response time and recovery limitations restrict their broader applications. Herein, a novel soft composite gel was prepared by mixing functionalized carboxylated cellulose nanocrystals (CCNs) and plasticized PVC. The surface morphology of the plasticized PVC/CCNs composite gel was characterized by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The prepared PVC/CCNs gel composites have increased polarity and electrical actuation with a fast response time. Experimental results demonstrated good response characteristics within the actuator model with a multilayer electrode structure when stimulated with a specified DC voltage (1000 V), with deformation of approximately 36.7%. Moreover, this PVC/CCNs gel has excellent tensile elongation, and the elongation at break of the PVC/CCNs gel is greater than the elongation at break of the pure PVC gel under the same thickness conditions. However, these PVC/CCNs composite gels showed excellent properties and development potential and are directed for broad applications in actuators, soft-robotics, and biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Irfan
- Electrical
Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Najran University, Najran 61441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Imdad Ali
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Quaid-e-Awam
University of Engineering, Science and Technology, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sindh 67450, Pakistan
- College
of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ahmed Ali
- Eletrical
Engineering Department, Sukkur IBA University, Sukkur 65200, Pakistan
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea
| | - Mushtaq Ahmed
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Quaid-e-Awam
University of Engineering, Science and Technology, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sindh 67450, Pakistan
| | - Toufique A. Soomro
- Department
of Electronic Engineering, Quaid-e-Awam
University of Engineering, Science and Technology, Larkana Campus, Larkana, Sindh 67480, Pakistan
| | - Weimin Yang
- College
of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, People’s Republic of China
| | - Saifur Rahman
- Electrical
Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Najran University, Najran 61441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Salim Nasar Faraj Mursal
- Electrical
Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Najran University, Najran 61441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Jalalah
- Electrical
Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Najran University, Najran 61441, Saudi Arabia
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Frank Z, Kim KJ. On the mechanism of performance improvement of electroactive polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gel actuators via conductive fillers. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10316. [PMID: 35725786 PMCID: PMC9209489 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14188-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The electromechanical actuation of transparent plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gels with conductive fillers were studied. The effects of functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([Bmim]BF4) ionic liquid (IL) on both the electrical conduction and dielectric processes within PVC gels were investigated, and the differences between the two were clarified. Both CNTs and IL were shown to increase the conductivity of the gels and produce larger electromechanical transduction of a contraction actuator, but only CNTs were shown to increase the electrostatic adhesion force of the PVC gels. The addition of charge carriers to the gel via the inclusion of ILs was shown to significantly reduce the conductivity relaxation time, and the transient current upon voltage polarity reversal indicated multiple peaks corresponding to the introduction of carriers with different polarities and mobilities into the gel. This is believed to cause a screening effect, reducing the charge accumulation at the anode that is the foundational basis for PVC gels' actuation mechanism. A recommendation for preferable conductive fillers for various applications is made.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Frank
- Active Materials and Smart Living Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), 4505 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV, 89154-4027, USA
| | - Kwang J Kim
- Active Materials and Smart Living Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), 4505 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV, 89154-4027, USA.
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