US 11,986,993 B2
Methods for forming three-dimensional polymeric articles
Henry A. Sodano, Ann Arbor, MI (US); Ruowen Tu, Ann Arbor, MI (US); and Ethan Cassidy Sprague, Dublin, CA (US)
Assigned to THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Filed by THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Filed on Jul. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/365,099.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/125,915, filed on Dec. 15, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/047,392, filed on Jul. 2, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0001597 A1, Jan. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. B29C 64/106 (2017.01); B29C 64/295 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B29K 101/10 (2006.01); B29K 105/16 (2006.01); B29K 505/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 64/106 (2017.08) [B29C 64/295 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B29K 2101/10 (2013.01); B29K 2105/16 (2013.01); B29K 2505/00 (2013.01)] 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming a three-dimensional (3D) polymeric article, the method comprising:
providing a polymeric solution comprising a polymer dissolved in a solvent, wherein the polymer comprises poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF);
providing a non-solvent, wherein the solvent is miscible in the non-solvent, and the polymer is insoluble in the non-solvent;
injecting the polymeric solution into the non-solvent in a pre-determined 3D pattern, thereby precipitating the polymer from the polymeric solution in the non-solvent as a solid polymeric material to provide the 3D polymeric article in the form of a piezoelectric material; and
performing at least one of annealing, hot-pressing, and poling to the 3D polymeric article after precipitation;
wherein the PVDF in the 3D polymeric article after performing the at least one of annealing, hot-pressing, and poling has a combined beta (β) and gamma (γ) phase content of at least 80%.