Deposits of clastic carbonate-dominated (calciclastic) sedimentary slope systems in the rock record have been identified mostly as linearly-consistent carbonate apron deposits, even though most ancient clastic carbonate slope deposits fit the submarine fan systems better. Calciclastic submarine fans are consequently rarely described and are poorly understood. Subsequently, very little is known especially in mud-dominated calciclastic submarine fan systems. Presented in this study are a sedimentological core and petrographic characterisation of samples from eleven boreholes from the Lower Carboniferous of Bowland Basin (Northwest England) that reveals a >250 m thick calciturbidite complex deposited in a calciclastic submarine fan setting. Seven facies are recognised from core and thin section characterisation and are grouped into three carbonate turbidite sequences. They include: 1) Calciturbidites, comprising mostly of highto low-density, wavy-laminated bioclast-rich facies; 2) low-density densite mudstones which are characterised by planar laminated and unlaminated muddominated facies; and 3) Calcidebrites which are muddy or hyper-concentrated debrisflow deposits occurring as poorly-sorted, chaotic, mud-supported floatstones. These

Phd by thesis

Electroactive phases of poly(vinylidene fluoride) : determination, processing and applications

Shape-memory polymers (SMPs) have attracted significant attention from both industrial and academic researchers due to their useful and fascinating functionality. This review thoroughly examines progress in shape-memory polymers, including the very recent past, achieved by numerous groups around the world and our own research group. Considering all of the shape-memory polymers reviewed, we identify a classification scheme wherein nearly all SMPs may be associated with one of four classes in accordance with their shape fixing and recovering mechanisms and as dictated by macromolecular details. We discuss how the described shape-memory polymers show great potential for diverse applications, including in the medical arena, sensors, and actuators.

http://research.vuse.vanderbilt.edu/srdesign/2009/group8/Papers/shape%20memory%20polymers%20review%20article.pdf

Review of progress in shape-memory polymers

Fundamentals, processes and applications of high-permittivity polymer–matrix composites

A number of materials have been explored for their use as artificial muscles Among these, dielectric elastomers (DEs) appear to provide the best combination of properties for true muscle-like actuation DEs behave as compliant capacitors, expanding in area and shrinking in thickness when a voltage is applied Materials combining very high energy densities, strains, and efficiencies have been known for some time To date, however, the widespread adoption of DEs has been hindered by premature breakdown and the requirement for high voltages and bulky support frames Recent advances seem poised to remove these restrictions and allow for the production of highly reliable, high-performance transducers for artificial muscle applications

Advances in dielectric elastomers for actuators and artificial muscles.

Electroactive polymers (EAPs) can behave as actuators, changing their shape in response to electrical stimulation. EAPs that are controlled by external electric fields--referred to here as field-type EAPs--include ferroelectric polymers, electrostrictive polymers, dielectric elastomers and liquid crystal polymers. Field-type EAPs can exhibit fast response speeds, low hysteresis and strain levels far above those of traditional piezoelectric materials, with elastic energy densities even higher than those of piezoceramics. However, these polymers also require a high field (>70 V micro m(-1)) to generate such high elastic energy densities (>0.1 J cm(-3); refs 4, 5, 9, 10). Here we report a new class of all-organic field-type EAP composites, which can exhibit high elastic energy densities induced by an electric field of only 13 V micro m(-1). The composites are fabricated from an organic filler material possessing very high dielectric constant dispersed in an electrostrictive polymer matrix. The composites can exhibit high net dielectric constants while retaining the flexibility of the matrix. These all-organic actuators could find applications as artificial muscles, 'smart skins' for drag reduction, and in microfluidic systems for drug delivery.

An all-organic composite actuator material with a high dielectric constant

A ceramic-powder polymer composite, making use of a relaxor ferroelectric polymer that has a high room-temperature dielectric constant as the matrix, is developed. The experimental data show that the dielectric constant of the composites with Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 powders can reach more than 250 with weak temperature dependence. In addition, the composites under a proper preparation procedure exhibit a high breakdown field strength (>120 MV/m), leading to a maximum energy storage density of more than 15 J/cm3. Experimental results also indicate that the high electron irradiation does not have much effect on the dielectric behavior of Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 powders, possibly due to the relaxor nature of the ceramic.

High-dielectric-constant ceramic-powder polymer composites

This letter reports the ferroelectric and electromechanical properties of a class of ferroelectric polymer, poly(vinylidene-fluoride–trifluoroethylene–chlorotrifluoroethylene) terpolymer, which exhibits a slim polarizationhysteresis loop and a high electrostrictive strain at room temperature. The dielectric and polarization behaviors of this terpolymer are typical of the ferroelectric relaxor. The x-ray and Fourier transform infrared results reveal that the random incorporation of bulky chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE) ter-monomers into polymer chains causes disordering of the ferroelectric phase. Furthermore, CTFE also acts as random defect fields which randomize the inter- and intrachain polar coupling, resulting in the observed ferroelectric relaxor behavior.

Ferroelectric and electromechanical properties of poly(vinylidene-fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene) terpolymer

High energy electron (1.0–2.55 MeV) irradiation was used to modify the phase transitional behavior of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) copolymers in an attempt to significantly improve the electromechanical properties of the copolymers. It is found that the copolymers under a proper irradiation treatment exhibit very little room temperature polarization hysteresis and very large electrostrictive strain (the longitudinal strain of −5% can be achieved). Because of the large anisotropy in the strain responses along and perpendicular to the polymer chain, the transverse strain can be tuned over a broad range by varying the film stretching condition. For unstretched films, the magnitude of transverse strain is approximately about/less than 1/3 of that of the longitudinal strain, and for stretched films, the transverse strain along the stretching direction is comparable to the longitudinal strain. In addition to the high strain response, the irradiated copolymers also possess high elastic energy density and mechanical load capability as indicated by the relatively high elastic modulus of the copolymer and the high strain response of the transverse strain even under 40 MPa tensile stress. The high strain and high elastic modulus of the irradiated copolymer also result in an improved electromechanical coupling factor where the transverse coupling factor of 0.45 has been observed. The frequency dependence of the strain response was also characterized up to near 100 kHz and the results show that the high electromechanical response can be maintained to high frequencies. Several unimorph actuators were fabricated using the modified copolymer and the test results demonstrate high performance of the devices due to the high strain and high load capability of the material.

Electrostrictive poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) copolymers

We report on the observation of the critical thickness of crystallization of ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) copolymer thin films, which were solution spun cast on platinum coated silicon wafer. The effect occurs at about 100 nm thickness, which is significantly above any currently known spatial dimensions of the polymer, so that for films at thickness below about 100 nm, the crystallization process is strongly hindered, resulting in a low crystallinity in these films. This low crystallinity leads to a large and discontinuous change of the dielectric constant and ferroelectric polarization in the films below the critical thickness.

Haisheng Xu

Papers

An all-organic composite actuator material with a high dielectric constant

High-dielectric-constant ceramic-powder polymer composites

Ferroelectric and electromechanical properties of poly(vinylidene-fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene) terpolymer

Electrostrictive poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) copolymers

Critical thickness of crystallization and discontinuous change in ferroelectric behavior with thickness in ferroelectric polymer thin films