Dielectrophoresis Structurization of PZT/PDMS Micro-Composite for Elastronic Function: Towards Dielectric and Piezoelectric Enhancement.

Piezoelectric materials have been used for decades in the field of sensors as transducers and energy harvesters. Among these, piezoelectric composites are emerging being extremely advantageous in terms of production, costs, and versatility. However, the piezoelectric performances of a composite with randomly dispersed filler are not comparable with bulk ferroelectric ceramics and electroactive polymers. In order to achieve highly performing and low-cost materials, this work aims to develop flexible composites made of Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) filler in Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix, with a specific internal structure called quasi-1-3 connectivity. Such a structure, comprising particles arranged in columns along a preferred direction, is performed through dielectrophoresis by applying an alternating electric field on the composite before and during the polymerization. The developed flexible material could be introduced into complex structures in various application fields, as sensors for structural monitoring.