Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene Research Articles

All‐Organic Flexible Ferroelectret Nanogenerator with Fabric‐Based Electrodes for Self‐Powered Body Area Networks

Due to their electrically polarized air-filled internal pores, optimized ferroelectrets exhibit a remarkable piezoelectric response, making them suitable for energy harvesting. Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) ferroelectret films are laminated with two fluorinated-ethylene-propylene (FEP) copolymer films and internally polarized by corona discharge. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)-coated spandex fabric is employed for the electrodes to assemble an all-organic ferroelectret nanogenerator (FENG). The outer electret-plus-electrode double layers form active device layers with deformable electric dipoles that strongly contribute to the overall piezoelectric response in the proposed concept of wearable nanogenerators. Thus, the FENG with spandex electrodes generates a short-circuit current which is twice as high as that with aluminum electrodes. The stacking sequence spandex/FEP/ePTFE/FEP/ePTFE/FEP/spandex with an average pore size of 3µm in the ePTFE films yields the best overall performance, which is also demonstrated by the displacement-versus-electric-field loop results. The all-organic FENGs are stable up to 90°C and still perform well 9 months after being polarized. An optimized FENG makes three light emitting diodes (LEDs) blink twice with the energy generated during a single footstep. The new all-organic FENG can thus continuously power wearable electronic devices and is easily integrated, for example, with clothing, other textiles, or shoe insoles.

Evaluation of offline sampling for atmospheric C3-C11 non-methane hydrocarbons

The concentration variation of C3-C11 non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) collected in several types of commercial flexible bags and adsorption tubes was systematically investigated using a gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) system. The percentage loss of each NMHC in the polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) bags was less than 5% during a 7-hr storage period; significant NMHCs loss was detected in aluminum foil composite film and fluorinated ethylene propylene bags. The thermal desorption efficiency of NMHCs for adsorption tubes filled Carbopack B and Carboxen1000 sorbents was greater than 95% at 300℃, and the loss of NMHCs in the adsorption tubes during 20-days storage at 4℃ was less than 8%. The thermal desorption efficiency for C11 NMHCs in the adsorption tube filled with Carbograph 1 and Carbosieve SⅢ absorbents was less than 40% at 300℃, and pyrolysis of the absorbents at 330℃ interfered significantly with the measurements of some alkenes. The loss of alkenes was significant when NMHCs were sampled by cryo-enrichment at -90℃ in the presence of O3 for the online NMHC measurements, and negligible for enrichment using adsorption tubes at 25℃. Although O3 scrubbers have been widely used to eliminate the influence of O3 on NMHC measurements, the loss of NMHCs with carbon numbers greater than 8 was more than 10%. Therefore, PVF bags and adsorption tubes filled Carbopack B and Carboxen1000 sorbents were recommended for the sampling of atmospheric NMHCs.

Effect of Dielectric Material and Package Stiffness on the Power Generation in a Packaged Triboelectric Energy Harvesting System for Total Knee Replacement.

The objectives of this study are to experimentally investigate the effects of the dielectric material and the package stiffness on the durability and the efficiency of a previously developed triboelectric-based instrumented knee implant prototype. The proposed smart knee implant may provide useful information about prosthesis health and its functionality after a total knee replacement (TKR) by routine monitoring of tibiofemoral load transfer without the need for any external power source. The triboelectric powered load sensing by the proposed TKR system needs to be functional throughout the entire life of a knee replacement. The power output of the triboelectric system depends on the surface charge generations and accumulations on its dielectric material, and the force that transmits through its housing into the tribo-materials. The properties of the dielectric material and the package stiffness can significantly influence the reliability of the proposed device. For such a TKR system, a compliant mechanism with the ideal material selection can improve its state of the art. We investigated the performance of three vertical contact mode triboelectric generators made with three different dielectric materials: polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). To investigate the effect of package stiffness, we tested two Ti-PDMS-Ti harvesters inside a polyethylene and a Ti6Al4V package. At 1500 N of sinusoidal loads, the harvesters could generate 67.73 μW and 19.81 μW of mean apparent power in parallel and single connections in the polyethylene package, which was 32 and 17 times greater than the power recorded in the Ti assembly, respectively.

A direct proof for Maxwell–Wagner effect of heterogeneous interface

In this paper, the Maxwell–Wagner effect and the charge characteristics of the heterogeneous interface at the action of higher electric field and elevated temperature are investigated by means of electret technology. A composite membrane with a double-layer structure of a polypropylene (PP) film and a fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer (FEP) film was made. After being polarized under electric field and elevated temperature, the component PP and FEP films of the composite membranes were separated. The charge density of the PP and FEP films was measured to analyze the characteristics of interfacial charge in the composite membrane. Experimental results directly prove that the charge characteristics at the interface of the composite membranes are consistent with the result calculated by the Maxwell–Wagner effect. The polarity of the interfacial charge can be switched by changing the polarity of the polarizing voltage. The characteristics of the accumulated interfacial charge are strongly dependent on the conductivity, which is affected by the temperature and the polarizing electric field. A new phenomenon, that is, the measured charge density is much higher than that calculated by the Maxwell–Wagner effect, is found. The reason is ascribed to the electret effect from the FEP and PP films. This research provides a new insight into the charge characteristics at the heterogeneous interface.

Oxidative defluorination of fluorinated ethylene propylene polymer in moist Cl2 at a low temperature: A mechanistic insight

Oxidative defluorination of fluorinated ethylene propylene polymer in moist Cl2 at a low temperature: A mechanistic insight

A Tubular Flexible Triboelectric Nanogenerator with a Superhydrophobic Surface for Human Motion Detecting.

The triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is a newly arisen technology for mechanical energy harvesting from the environment, such as raindrops, wind, tides, and so on. It has attracted widespread attention in flexible electronics to serve as self-powered sensors and energy-harvesting devices because of its flexibility, durability, adaptability, and multi-functionalities. In this work, we fabricated a tubular flexible triboelectric nanogenerator (TF-TENG) with energy harvesting and human motion monitoring capabilities by employing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as construction material, and fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) films coated with Cu as the triboelectric layer and electrode, serving in a free-standing mode. The tube structure has excellent stretchability that can be stretched up to 400%. Modifying the FEP films to obtain a superhydrophobic surface, the output performance of TF-TENG was increased by at least 100% compared to an untreated one. Finally, as the output of TF-TENG is sensitive to swing angle and frequency, demonstration of real-time monitoring of human motion state was realized when a TF-TENG was worn on the wrist.

The action of fillers in the enhancement of the tribological performance of epoxy composite coatings

The addition of reinforced material (polymer and mineral fillers) to epoxy resin matrices results in the improvement of the overall performance of the composite, allowing the application of these materials as tribo-materials in industrial applications. Enhancement of the tribological properties (low friction coefficient, increased wear resistance and non-stick properties) of epoxy coatings is done by embedding fillers with various particle sizes and with different filler volume fractions. The aim of this work is to determine the factors influencing the wear-reducing mechanisms of the fillers. This was done by wear tests carried out on a pin-on-disc apparatus and on a Taber Abraser device. A significant decrease in the wear rate was recorded with the formulations containing polymer fillers such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyethylene (PE) and fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), due to their self-lubricating nature. The particle size of silica (SiO2) fillers was found to play a significant role, coarse particles reducing the wear rate due to the bond at the resin/filler interface. It was shown that not all fillers helped improving the wear resistance; the SiO2 fillers with lower particle size had a negative effect on the wear resistance of the epoxy coating, by causing discontinuities in the material. The worn surfaces were analyzed using light microscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM), to help better understand the wear mechanisms involved.

Fabrication of robust superhydrophobic organic-inorganic hybrid coating through a novel two-step phase separation method

Artificial superhydrophobic coatings inspired by nature are expected to have extensive applications in several aspects of our daily lives once their poor mechanical and chemical durability is overcome. In this study, we developed a robust superhydrophobic organic-inorganic hybrid coating through the combination of fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) and aluminum dihydrogen phosphate (ADP) using a novel two-step phase separation method. An inorganic adhesive of ADP was introduced as a building block to enhance the structural robustness of the superhydrophobic coating. Carboxylated carbon nanotubes (C-CNTs) with good dispersibility in both water and ethanol were employed as emulsifiers to promote the liquid phase separation of FEP and ADP, which was beneficial for the formation of abundant microspheres in aqueous ethanol. After spraying and thermal treatment, the uniform mastoid micro-/nanostructures were formed on the coating surface due to the thermal phase separation of microspheres, which can provide excellent superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 162 ± 1.1° and a sliding angle of 5 ± 0.5°. The prepared coating can maintain its outstanding hydrophobicity even after 1000 abrasion cycles with sandpaper and upon jetting with high pressure water flow (200 kPa). Moreover, owing to the chemical inertness of the hybrid micro-/nanostructures, the prepared coating can provide a high level of corrosion protection against strong corrosive mediums as well as weather protection against UV radiation (300 W/m2). Therefore, it is believed that the robust organic-inorganic hybrid superhydrophobic coating prepared by facile phase separation method would present new avenues for expanding the practical applications of superhydrophobic coatings.

Electret Nanogenerators for Self-Powered, Flexible Electronic Pianos

Traditional electronic pianos mostly adopt a gantry type and a large number of rigid keys, and most keyboard sensors of the electronic piano require additional power supply during playing, which poses certain challenges for portable electronic products. Here, we demonstrated a fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP)-based electret nanogenerator (ENG), and the output electrical performances of the ENG under different external pressures and frequencies were systematically characterized. At a fixed frequency of 4 Hz and force of 4 N with a matched load resistance of 200 MΩ, an output power density of 20.6 mW/cm2 could be achieved. Though the implementation of a signal processing circuit, ENG-based, self-powered pressure sensors have been demonstrated for self-powered, flexible electronic pianos. This work provides a new strategy for electret nanogenerators for self-powered sensor networks and portable electronics.

The gas-phase reaction kinetics of different structure of unsaturated alcohols and ketones with O3

Unsaturated alcohols and ketones are a category of oxygenated biogenic volatile organic compounds, which reacted with tropospheric ozone and then made a significant contribution to the formation of secondary organic aerosols (SOA). However, the chemical pathways of their reaction with O3 are poorly understood. Hence, the reactions of O3 with three unsaturated alcohols and ketones were conducted in 100 L FEP Teflon smog chamber and the rate constants were obtained by using the absolute rate method. The rate constant of 4-methyl-3-penten-2-one, 2-methyl-4-penten-2-ol, 4-penten-2-ol reacting with O3 at 298 K and 760 Torr was (7.68 ± 0.80) × 10−18, (4.27 ± 0.44) × 10−18 and (5.40 ± 0.57) × 10−18 cm3molecule−1s−1, respectively. Combining with theoretical calculation, the factors leading to the different rate constants of a series of similar structure compounds were analyzed, including the steric effect of methyl in specific position and the electron withdrawing effect of hydroxyl group in the gamma position for alcohols and carbonyl group in the beta position for ketones. Moreover, the major products of three unsaturated organics reacted with ozone were detected, and the reaction mechanisms were deduced by further supporting of theoretical calculation. The atmospheric lifetime of the target compounds and the environmental significant were explored.

Electrode-Integrated Textile-Based Sensors for In Situ Temperature and Relative Humidity Monitoring in Electrochemical Cells.

Temperature and humidity measurements in electrochemical energy devices are essential for maximizing their overall performance under different operating conditions and avoiding hazardous consequences that may arise from the malfunction of these systems. Using sensors for in situ measurements of temperature and relative humidity (RH) is a promising approach for continuous monitoring and management of electrochemical power sources. Here, we report on the feasibility of using thread-based sensors for in situ measurements of temperature and RH in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) as an example of electrochemical energy devices. Commodity threads are low-cost and flexible materials that hold great promise for the creation of complex three-dimensional (3D) circuits using well-established textile methods such as weaving, braiding, and embroidering. Ex situ and in situ characterization show that threads can be introduced in the gas diffusion layer (GDL) structure to inscribe water highways within the GDL with minimal impact on the GDL microstructure and transport properties. Fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) is coated on thread-based sensors to decouple the response to temperature and humidity; the resulting threads achieve a linear change of resistance with temperature (−0.31%/°C), while RH is monitored with a second thread coated with poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). The combination of both threads allows for minimally invasive and dynamically responsive monitoring of local temperature and RH within the electrode of PEMFCs.

Tribological, Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene Filled with Al-Cu-Cr Quasicrystals, Polytetrafluoroethylene, Synthetic Graphite and Carbon Black.

Antifriction hybrid fluorinated ethylene propylene-based composites filled with quasicrystalline Al73Cu11Cr16 powder, polytetrafluoroethylene, synthetic graphite and carbon black were elaborated and investigated. Composite samples were formed by high-energy ball milling of initial powders mixture with subsequent consolidation by injection molding. Thermal, mechanical, and tribological properties of the obtained composites were studied. It was found that composite containing 5 wt.% of Al73Cu11Cr16 quasicrystals and 2 wt.% of nanosized polytetrafluoroethylene has 50 times better wear resistance and a 1.5 times lower coefficient of dry friction comparing with unfilled fluorinated ethylene propylene. Addition of 15 wt.% of synthetic graphite to the above mentioned composition allows to achieve an increase in thermal conductivity in 2.5 times comparing with unfilled fluorinated ethylene propylene, at that this composite kept excellent tribological properties.

Cell Behavior of Primary Fibroblasts and Osteoblasts on Plasma-Treated Fluorinated Polymer Coated with Honeycomb Polystyrene.

The development of new biocompatible polymer substrates is still of interest to many research teams. We aimed to combine a plasma treatment of fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) substrate with a technique of improved phase separation. Plasma exposure served for substrate activation and modification of surface properties, such as roughness, chemistry, and wettability. The treated FEP substrate was applied for the growth of a honeycomb-like pattern from polystyrene solution. The properties of the pattern strongly depended on the primary plasma exposure of the FEP substrate. The physico-chemical properties such as changes of the surface chemistry, wettability, and morphology of the prepared pattern were determined. The cell response of primary fibroblasts and osteoblasts was studied on a honeycomb pattern. The prepared honeycomb-like pattern from polystyrene showed an increase in cell viability and a positive effect on cell adhesion and proliferation for both primary fibroblasts and osteoblasts.

One-step fabrication of metal nanoparticles on polymer film by femtosecond LIPAA method for SERS detection

Flexible transparent SERS substrates have aroused great interest as a rapid and in situ detection method for trace chemicals. We demonstrate a one-step and environmentally friendly method to fabricate flexible fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) surface plasmon resonance film by femtosecond laser induced plasma assisted ablation (LIPAA) for in situ SERS detection. By tuning laser fluence, the distributions and sizes of silver and gold nanoparticles generated by femtosecond LIPAA are studied. Using a Rhodamine 6G (R6G) Raman probe with a 532 nm laser excitation, the proposed Ag NPs/FEP and Au NPs/FEP substrates show enhancement factors of 5.6 × 107 and 2.4 × 106, respectively, as compared to a bare FEP film without the metallic nanoparticles. The Raman signals show good uniformity and a linear relationship with the concentration of R6G solution. In addition, the detection limit of thiram on an apple for in situ measurement is 0.1 mg/Kg, corresponding to 7.96 ng/cm2. The proposed SERS detection approach has great potential to pave a new way in food safety applications, such as detecting pesticides in harvested fruits.

Energy harvester using piezoelectric nanogenerator and electrostatic generator

This study demonstrates an energy harvester that combines a piezoelectric nanogenerator and an electret-based electrostatic generator. The device consists of an in-house fabricated nanocomposite (polydimethylsiloxane/barium titanate/carbon nanotube) as a piezoelectric layer and a monocharged Teflon fluorinated ethylene propylene as an electret electrostatic layer. The mechanical impedance of the structure can be altered easily by changing the nanocomposite monomer/cross-linker ratio and optimizing various mechanical energy sources. The energy harvester's performance was characterized by performing measurements with different frequencies (5–20 Hz) under applied dynamic loading. A total volumetric power density of ∼8.8 μW cm−3 and a total stored energy of ∼50.2 μJ min−1 were obtained. These findings indicate that this versatile, lightweight, and low-cost energy harvester can be employed as a power supply source for microelectronics in applications, such as wearables.

Anisotropic pyrochemical dry etching of fluorinated ethylene propylene induced by pre-irradiation with synchrotron radiation

Anisotropic pyrochemical micro-etching induced by synchrotron x-ray irradiation is developed as a microfabrication process for fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP). X-ray irradiation is performed at room temperature, and the irradiation area is etched by heating in an oven. By measuring the irradiation area using Raman spectroscopy, the peak of the Raman spectrum is shown to decrease with an increasing irradiation dose. It is also observed that the etching can be performed at a heating temperature of around 200 °C while maintaining the chemical composition of the surface. The etching mechanism is speculated to be as follows: x-ray irradiation causes chain scission, which decreases the number-average degree of polymerization. The melting temperature of irradiated FEP decreases as the polymer chain length is decreased so that the irradiated area can be evaporated at low temperatures of post-heating. In this way, we demonstrate that anisotropic pyrochemical micro-etching of FEP proceeds only in the depth direction where x rays are absorbed. It is possible to avoid deterioration of the shape accuracy arising from thermal expansion during the transfer process of the mask pattern by separating pre-irradiation from post-heating. Through this method, it becomes possible to realize a high precision microstructure of FEP in a large area.

The Analysis of Light Intensity Transmission Coefficient Through Plastic Fibers for the Design of Closed Room Lighting without Electricity

The phenomenon of total internal reflection can be used to guide the light to be transmitted from one place to another, it is applied to the guiding principle of light in fiber optics. A fiber rope made of clear plastic material with a uniform refractive index, when one end fired a beam of light then the light will be forwarded along the strap so that out at the other end. This principle can be applied as a lighting source in a closed room by passing light from the outdoors by using plastic fiber, so it doesn’t need the electricity. In this study, theoretical analysis of the percentage of the intensity of light transmitted by the fiber plastic succeed as a function of the refractive index and determine the transmission coefficient for some plastic seeds are eligible to be used as a plastic fiber light successor. From the results of deriving the equation, the light transmission coefficient of plastic is and the terms of plastic seeds that can be used as a plastic fiber are having a refractive index . Based on refractive index data from profesionalplastics, the maximum transmission coefficient value for Ethylene Tetrafluoro Ethylene Copolymer is 82.23% and the minimum transmission value of Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene Copolymer is 55.99%.

Preparation of thermal conductive anticorrosive composite coatings via synergistic effect of carbon nanofillers and heat transfer oil

Thermal conductivity of polymers gains much attention in many fields, and the formation of a heat conduction network is very important for polymer coatings. Carbon nanofiller is one type of excellent candidate fillers for improving thermal conductivity, but the poor incorporation between the filler and the polymer restricts coating performances. In this study, the heat transfer oil (HTO) was used as a medium to communicate the carbon nanofiller with the polymer (poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP)) and to improve the thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance of PVDF composite coatings. The micronanostructure of superhydrophobic PVDF/FEP/SiO2 (modified PVDF or m-PVDF) composite coatings was used as a storage space for the HTO, so that various carbon nanofiller including carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene, carbon black, and carbon nanofibers can take effect in improving thermal conductivity. Among the m-PVDF/carbon nanofiller composite coatings, the HTO/m-PVDF/CNTs coating gained the highest thermal conductivity of 0.53 W·m−1·K−1 after HTO modification, which was 3.3 times that of the m-PVDF/CNTs coating and was attributed to the connectivity of HTO. The anticorrosion of HTO/m-PVDF/CNTs was increased by 3 orders of magnitude than that of m-PVDF/CNTs owing to the synergistic effect between the HTO and CNTs in blocking the invasion of corrosive species. This research provides a unique way to design and fabricate high-thermal-conductivity composite coatings with high anticorrosion by the synergism between carbon nanofiller and HTO.

Empirical determination of explosive vapor transport efficiencies.

The transport efficiency of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT), 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazinane (RDX) trace vapors through tubing materials that commonly constitute vapor handling infrastructures have been determined for a variety of tubing dimensions and sampling conditions. Using a programmable temperature vaporization inlet coupled with a gas chromatography mass spectrometer (PTV-GC-MS), the explosive vapors were quantified both with and without a length of tubing of a specific material in the sampling flow path. At vapor temperatures of 30 °C and 66 °C, minimal attenuations were observed for 2,4-DNT and TNT vapor concentrations when the tubing material was in-line with the sampling flow path, indicating that the transport is largely unaffected by interactions with the surface of the tubing materials. In contrast, RDX vapors showed large attenuations as a function of both sampling conditions and tubing materials/dimensions. For those experiments where attenuated RDX vapor transport was observed, the mass sequestered by interactions between the flowing vapor and the internal tubing surface was determined to be in the range of tens to hundreds of picograms. Of all the materials examined for RDX transport, fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) tubing resulted in the least amount of mass loss to surface interactions, with vapor transport efficiencies (VTEs) between 95-100%. However, for some materials, the combination of tubing dimensions and sampling conditions resulted in no RDX transport, even after sampling more than 250.0 L of vapor through the tubing.

A Simplified Method for Three-Dimensional (3D) Porcine Preantral Follicles Culture Utilizing Hydrophobic Microbioreactors.

The technological revolution in reproductive biology that started with artificial insemination procedures and embryo transfer led to the development of assisted reproduction techniques such as in vitro fertilization or even cloning of domestic animals by nuclear transfer from somatic cells. Currently, procedures of isolated immature ovarian follicles in vitro culture are becoming the prominent technology aimed to preserve or restore fertility especially of young oncological patients or those at risk of premature ovarian failure.Here, we describe a protocol that can be applied for in vitro growth of porcine, preantral ovarian follicles in three-dimensional (3D) culture conditions. After enzymatic isolation from the ovarian cortex, preantral follicles are suspended in a drop of medium and enclosed with fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) powder particles (microbioreactors). Such microbioreactors maintain the 3D structure of the follicles during the whole process of in vitro growth what is crucial to ensure proper folliculogenesis progression and their ability to survive.