#polysiloxane

Developing Fluorine-Free Transducers for the Market

Newswise — Even if we are not aware of it, we are surrounded by transducers, or energy converters. They are found everywhere where energy is generated, stored, or consumed in any form, for example in electrical appliances, cars, power plants, solar cells, and batteries. The types of transducers and the materials they are made of are as diverse as their areas of application. Empa researcher Dorina Opris from the Functional Polymers Laboratory focuses in particular on materials for soft transducers. Elastic materials with specific electrical properties are suitable, for example, for the manufacture of sound and vibration sensors or artificial muscles, known as actuators, which set mechanical components in motion. A polymer frequently used for such applications is polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). This fluorine-containing plastic belongs to the PFAS group, which are also known as forever chemicals due to their high stability in the environment. With increasing regulation and impending bans on PFAS, sustainable, scalable, and economical alternatives are being sought.

Efficient self-assembly enhances self-healing in advanced siloxane materials

Polysiloxane materials, such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based elastomers, exhibit a self-healing capability by the introduction of silanolate (Si–O–) groups. This ability stems from their dynamic siloxane (Si–O–Si) bonds, which can break and reform to repair damage. Their self-healing properties could make them valuable in applications like protective coatings for use in various fields, such as optics, electronics, and aerospace. To improve the properties of PDMS-based materials, they have been combined with inorganic fillers such as nanoparticles or nanosheets. Generally, the introduction of nanosheets into polymers leads to the formation of a layered structure that exhibits superior thermal, mechanical, and gas barrier properties. Furthermore, an improved crack-healing ability of oriented films has been reported. This improvement is attributed to polymer diffusion concentrated in the in-plane direction.

ordinarily one of the nice things about the gay apartment block is that I don't have to play by the rules: I may not be able to ask them the way I ask other kids, but they also can't refuse to tell me.

my thoughts slide off of hers like - well. pick the material, right? she's got them all in her closet. I can see what she's doing (some of the time; right now there's some show on in the background, she's texting with some guy that may or may not be a friend, her drink has either gone cold or warm but either way it's a lost cause) but anything beyond that is barely even a blurry shape.