Dielectric Elastomer Fiber Transducers

Dielectric Elastomers as Electromechanical Transducers provides a comprehensive and updated insight into dielectric elastomers; one of the most promising classes of polymer-based smart materials and technologies. This technology can be used in a very broad range of applications, from robotics and automation to the biomedical field. The need for improved transducer performance has resulted in considerable efforts towards the development of devices relying on materials with intrinsic transduction properties. These materials, often termed as “smart or “intelligent , include improved piezoelectrics and magnetostrictive or shape-memory materials. Emerging electromechanical transduction technologies, based on so-called ElectroActive Polymers (EAP), have gained considerable attention. EAP offer the potential for performance exceeding other smart materials, while retaining the cost and versatility inherent to polymer materials. Within the EAP family, “dielectric elastomers , are of particular interest as they show good overall performance, simplicity of structure and robustness. Dielectric elastomer transducers are rapidly emerging as high-performance “pseudo-muscular actuators, useful for different kinds of tasks. Further, in addition to actuation, dielectric elastomers have also been shown to offer unique possibilities for improved generator and sensing devices. Dielectric elastomer transduction is enabling an enormous range of new applications that were precluded to any other EAP or smart-material technology until recently. This book provides a comprehensive and updated insight into dielectric elastomer transduction, covering all its fundamental aspects. The book deals with transduction principles, basic materials properties, design of efficient device architectures, material and device modelling, along with applications. Concise and comprehensive treatment for practitioners and academics Guides the reader through the latest developments in electroactive-polymer-based technology Designed for ease of use with sections on fundamentals, materials, devices, models and applications

Electroactive polymers are smart materials that can undergo size or shape structural deformations in the presence of an electrical field. These lightweight polymeric materials possess properties such as flexibility, cost-effectiveness, rapid response time, easy controllability (especially physical to electrical), and low power consumption. Electroactive Polymeric Materials examines the history, progress, synthesis, and characterization of electroactive polymers and then details their application and potential in fields including biomedical science, environmental remediation, renewable energy, robotics, sensors and textiles. Highlighting the flexibility, lightweight, cost-effective, rapid response time, easy controllability, and low power consumption characteristics of electroactive polymers, respected authors in the field explore their use in sensors, actuators, MEMS, biomedical apparatus, energy storage, packaging, textiles, and corrosion protection to provide readers with a powerhouse of a reference to use for their own endeavors. Features: Explores the most recent advances in all categories of ionic/electroactive polymer composite materials Includes basic science, addresses novel topics, and covers multifunctional applications in one resource Suitable for newcomers, academicians, scientists and R&D industrial experts working in polymer technologies .

Smart Materials in Additive Manufacturing, Volume 1 provides readers with an overview of the current smart materials widely in use and the techniques for additively manufacturing them. It demonstrates the principles developed for 4D printing in a way that is useful for students, early career researchers, and professionals. Topics covered include modeling and fabrication of 4D printed materials such as dielectric elastomer soft robots, low-voltage electroactive polymers, and stimuli-responsive hydrogels. 4D printing of light-responsive structures, gels and soft materials, and natural fiber composites are also discussed, as is origami-inspired 4D printing, 4D microprinting, and reversible 4D printing. 4D bioprinting and related biomedical applications are outlined as well as functionalized 4D printed sensor systems. Key Features:* Discusses 4D printed shape memory polymers, shape memory alloys, natural fibers, and hydrogels* Covers various types of stimuli, fabrication techniques, multi-physics modeling, and control strategies for 4D printing* Explores 4D printing of dielectric elastomers, liquid crystal elastomers, and electroactive polymers Covers the mechanics, manufacturing processes and applications of 4D-printed smart materials and structures Discusses applications in civil, mechanical, aerospace, polymer and biomedical engineering Presents experimental, numerical and analytical studies in a simple and straightforward manner, providing tools that can be immediately implemented and adapted by readers to fit their work

Edited by a leading expert in the field with contributions from experienced researchers in fibers and textiles, this handbook reviews the current state of fibrous materials and provides a broad overview of their use in research and development. Volume One focuses on the classes of fibers, their production and characterization, while the second volume concentrates on their applications, including emerging ones in the areas of energy, environmental science and healthcare. Unparalleled knowledge of high relevance to academia and industry.

Smart Composite Coatings and Membranes: Transport, Structural, Environmental and Energy Applications provides the latest information on the increase in demand for new smart materials for a wide array of different technological applications. The book comprehensively reviews the latest developments in smart composite materials used as membranes, barriers, and coatings, with a special focus on corrosion protection, transportation, structure, and the wide range of applications. Part one examines the properties, processing, and manufacture of smart composite materials, along with techniques for modeling the behavior of these materials, while other sections review the use of smart composite coatings in aerospace, marine, and metal structural applications, examine the protective properties and applications of smart composite coatings, and introduce specific low environmental impact and energy efficient applications, such as energy generation and storage, water management, and stone conservation. Explores the use of smart composite materials for coatings, barriers and membranes Comprehensively reviews the latest developments in smart composite materials, with a special focus on corrosion protection, transportation, structure, and the wide range of applications Examines the properties, processing, manufacture and behavior modeling of smart composite materials Focuses on applications that have an impact on more effective energy savings and efficiency, green-house emissions, and environmental protection

Assuming no mathematical or chemistry knowledge, this book introduces complete beginners to the field of petroleum engineering. Written in a straightforward style, the author takes a practical approach to the subject avoiding complex mathematics to achieve a text that is robust without being intimidating. Covering traditional petroleum engineering topics, readers of this book will learn about the formation and characteristics of petroleum reservoirs, the chemical properties of petroleum, the processes involved in the exploitation of reservoirs, post-extraction processing, industrial safety, and the long-term outlook for the oil and gas production. The descriptions and discussions are informed by considering the production histories of several fields including the Ekofisk field in the North Sea, the Wyburn Field in Canada, the Manifa Field in Saudi Arabia and the Wilmington Field off the Californian Coast. The factors leading up to the well blowouts on board the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico and in the Mantara Field in the Timor Sea are also examined. With a glossary to explain key words and concepts, this book is a perfect introduction for newcomers to a petroleum engineering course, as well as non-specialists in industry. Professor David Shallcross is one of the foremost practitioners in chemical engineering education worldwide. Readers of this book will find his previous book, Chemical Engineering Explained, a useful companion.

Smart materials are of significant interest and this is the first textbook to provide a comprehensive graduate level view of topics that relate to this field. Fundamentals of Smart Materials consists of a workbook and solutions manual covering the basics of different functional material systems aimed at advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students. Topics include piezoelectric materials, magnetostrictive materials, shape memory alloys, mechanochromic materials, thermochromic materials, chemomechanical polymers and self-healing materials. Each chapter provides an introduction to the material, its applications and uses with example problems, fabrication and manufacturing techniques, conclusions, homework problems and a bibliography. Edited by a leading researcher in smart materials, the textbook can be adopted by teachers in materials science and engineering, chemistry, physics and chemical engineering.