The University of Akron

Purdue Research Foundation

Edison Polymer Innovation Corporation

Mukerrem Cakmak

Armen Yildirim

Rahim Rahimi

Baris Yalcin

Joseph P Kennedy

Alina Alexeenko

Saurabh Batra

Darrell H Reneker

Anit Dutta

Gabor Erdodi

Turgut Nugay

Nihan Nugay

Saeed Mohammadi

Mark D Soucek

Wei Zhao

Ali Shakouri

Jungmee Kang

Jake H Mulligan

Siamak Shams Es-haghi

Gustavo A Guzman Cardozo

Kenneth Keuchel

Yuanhao Guo

Cheng Qu

A roll-to-roll manufacturing machine suitable for processing and producing polymer films that contain nanostructures, including but not limited to multifunctional polymer films. The machine applies a liquid polymer on a substrate to form a liquid polymer film, at least partially embeds nanostructures into the liquid polymer film, melt casts a layer of a molten polymer on the liquid polymer film to produce a thin polymer film, organizes the nanostructures in a thickness direction of the thin polymer film comprising applying an electric field to the thin polymer film, aligns the nanostructures in the thin polymer film by simultaneously subjecting the thin polymer film to heat and a field that aligns the nanostructures, and solidifies the thin polymer film to freeze the nanostructures along nanocolumns in a thickness direction of a solidified polymer film resulting therefrom.

Roll-to-roll manufacturing machines and methods for producing nanostructure-containing polymer films

A method of transducing electrical energy to sound is disclosed which includes providing a transducer, the transducer includes lead zirconate titanate (PZT) particles mixed with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) in a flexible substrate aligned in a first direction, forming a transducer subsystem, a first conductive protective electrode having a width and a length configured to provide a first electrical connectivity to an external circuit, and a second conductive protective electrode having the width and the length and configured to provide a second electrical connectivity to the external circuit, wherein the transducer subsystem is sandwiched between the first and second conductive protective electrodes, and providing an external circuit configured to provide an electrical signal to the first and second conductive protective electrodes to thereby transduce the electrical signal to sound.

Piezoelectric transducers based on vertically aligned PZT and graphene nanoplatelets

An electrical contact includes: a first contact surface; a second contact surface; and a coating dispersed on at least one of the first or second contact surfaces, where the coating includes the cured product of a telechelic polypropylene glycol-polyethylene glycol multi-block polymer.

UV-curable contact stabilization coating material for electrical contact surfaces

Roll-to-roll freeze-drying (lyophilization) system and process for facilitating freeze-drying processes and enabling the collection of data by which a freeze-drying process can be monitored and evaluated. Such a system includes a roll-to-roll freeze-drying apparatus adapted to continuously freeze and dry a liquid to form a freeze-dried and encapsulate freeze-dried sheet portions of the freeze-dried sheet to create premeasured pouches containing the freeze-dried sheet portions. The system further includes a metrology section that monitors any of the freeze-dried sheet and the freeze-dried sheet portions during the freezing and drying of the liquid to generate data for controlling the freezing and drying of the liquid.

Continuous roll-to-roll freeze-drying system and process

A transducer is disclosed which includes lead zirconate titanate (PZT) particles mixed with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) in a flexible substrate aligned in a first direction, forming a transducer subsystem, a first conductive protective electrode having a width and a length providing an electrical connectivity to an external circuit, a second conductive protective electrode having the width and the length providing an electrical connectivity to the external circuit, wherein the transducer subsystem is sandwiched between the first and second conductive protective electrodes.

A sensor is disclosed which includes a piezoelectric layer, a piezoresistive layer, one or more electrode layers coupled to the piezoelectric layer and to the piezoresistive layer, the piezoelectric layer configured to provide an electrical signal in response to application of a dynamic disturbance, and the piezoresistive layer configured to provide a change in resistivity in response to application of a static disturbance.

Machines and processes for producing polymer films and films produced thereby

Methods and devices suitable for delivering a pharmaceutical drug to patient. Such a device includes a multiple-network pseudo-interpenetrating polymer network (pseudo-IPN) hydrogel containing the drug. The hydrogel comprises loosely cross-linked polymeric networks that interpenetrate and are grafted to each other.

Devices and methods for delivering pharmaceutical drugs to patients

Processes and machines suitable for producing polymer films, and films produced thereby. Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) particles and electrically conductive nanoparticles are combined in a liquid polymer precursor matrix and aligned along nanocolumns in a thickness direction of the polymer precursor matrix by subjecting the PZT and nanoparticles to a uniform electric field, after which the polymer precursor matrix is solidified to form a piezoelectric polymer composite film. The PZT and nanoparticles are subjected to the uniform electric field for a duration sufficient to promote sensitivity and/or energy harvesting properties of the piezoelectric polymer composite film.

A method of preparing an anisotropic polymer film using an electric field generator. The method of preparing an electric field generator comprising supplying an electric field across an electric field application zone, where the electric field is generated by a first electrode having a first charge and a second electrode having a charge opposite of the first, passing a polymer film that optionally includes dispersed particles through the electric field application zone, where the polymer film contacts the first electrode to induce orientation, and freezing the polymer film to lock the orientation before the polymer film exits the electric field application zone.

Continuous roll-to-roll process design for vertical alignment of particles using electric field

A method of preparing a polymer film having an oriented dispersed material includes casting a multi-layer polymer solution having a first polymer solution layer and a second polymer solution layer where the second polymer solution layer is at least partially immiscible with the first polymer solution layer. The method further includes passing the multi-layer polymer solution through an electric field application zone, to thereby induce orientation of the dispersed material. A multi-layer polymer film can then be formed by drying the solvent from the multi-layer polymer solution. An apparatus for preparing polymer films includes a top electrode made from a flexible metal mesh coated with a non-stick, non-conductive coating.

Electric field 'Z' direction alignment of nanoparticles in polymer solutions

A method for producing flexible, stretchable transparent and highly electrically conducting hybrid polymer films includes embedding electrically conductive electrospun nanofibers in solution cast dielectric polymer films. The electrically conductive nanofiber, or nanofiber structure, can be electrospun from a suitable polymer solution that contains a suitable amount of, for example, at least one conductive material. The polymer film portion can be formed from poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) or polyimide. The flexible polymer film portion can be a transparent film, made from, for example, polycarbonate, polyurethane and/or cyclopolyolefin polymer compositions.

Flexible and electrically conductive polymer films and methods of making same

An electrolyte membrane for use in a rechargeable battery includes a polymer layer and platelet particles, where the polymer layer is reinforced with a fiber mat, and the polymer layer retains an electrolyte. A rechargeable battery uses the membrane in a position between a positive electrode and negative electrode where the membrane serves as an ion conductor for the battery.

Polymer electrolyte membranes for rechargeable batteries

A film-processing apparatus for manufacturing a film in a continuous process includes a continuous carrier belt; a film-casting zone depositing a cast film on the carrier belt; a shearing zone; an electric-field zone; a magnetic-field zone; an ultraviolet-radiation zone; an annealing zone; and a solvent-evaporation zone, wherein the continuous carrier belt is operable to move a cast film deposited thereon from the film-casting zone through the shearing zone, the electric-field zone, the magnetic-field zone, the ultraviolet-radiation zone, the annealing zone, and the solvent-evaporation zone such that the cast film is selectively treated in one or more of the zones in a continuous process. A pick up roll receives the cast film after the continuous carrier belt moves the cast film through the zones and is selectively treated.

Growing community of inventors

Munroe Falls, OH, United States of America

Mukerrem Cakmak