With the increase of population every year, fresh water scarcity has rapidly increased and it is reaching a risky level, particularly in Africa and the Middle East. Desalination of seawater is an essential process for fresh water generation. One of the methods for desalination is membrane distillation (MD). MD process separates an aqueous liquid feed across a porous hydrophobic membrane to produce pure water via evaporation. Polyvinlidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes reinforced with a polyester fabric were fabricated as potential candidates for MD. Non-solvent induced phase separation coupled with steam treatment was used to prepare the PVDF membranes. A portion of the prepared membrane was coated with Teflon (AF2400) to increase its hydrophobicity. In the first study, the fabricated membranes were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and other techniques, and they were evaluated using direct contact MD (DCMD). The fabricated membranes showed a porous sponge-like structure with some macrovoids. The macrovoid formation and the spongy structure in the membrane cross-sections contributed significantly to a high permeate flux as they provide a large space for vapor water transport. The modified PVDF membranes with steaming and coating exhibited a permeate flux of around 40 L/h m2 (i.e. 27-30% increase to the control PVDF membrane) at temperatures of 60 °C (feed) and 20 °C (permeate). This increase in the permeate flux for the modified membranes was mainly attributed to its larger pore size on the bottom surface. In the second study, the control PVDF membrane was tested in two different module designs (i.e. semi-circular pipe and rectangular duct module designs). The semi-circular module design (turbulent regime) exhibited a higher permeate flux, 3-fold higher than that of the rectangular duct module design (laminar regime) at feed temperature of 60 °C. Furthermore, a heat energy balance was performed for each module design to determine the temperature polarization coefficients (TPC). The turbulent module design showed higher TPC (0.5-0.58) than the laminar module (0.1-0.14) (i.e. a poor module design). This indicates that the effect of temperature polarization on the laminar flow was significant, which is below the reported TPC range of 0.4-0.70.

The fractional–order capacitors add an additional degree of freedom over conventional capacitors in circuit design and facilitate circuit configurations that would be impractical or impossible to implement with conventional capacitors. We propose a generic strategy for fractional-order capacitor fabrication that integrates layers of conductive, semiconductor and ferroelectric polymer materials to create a composite with significantly improved constant phase angle, constant phase zone, and phase angle variation performance. Our approach involves a combination of dissolving the polymer powders, mixing distinct phases and making a film and capacitor of it. The resulting stack consisting of ferroelectric polymer-based composites shows constant phase angle over a broad range of frequencies. To prove the viability of this method, we have successfully fabricated fractional-order capacitors with the following: nanoparticles such as multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT), Molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) inserted ferroelectric polymers and PVDF based ferroelectric polymer blends. They show better performance in terms of fabrication cost and dynamic range of constant phase angle compared to fractional order capacitor from graphene percolated polymer composites. These results can be explained by a universal percolation model, where the combination of electron transport in fillers and the dielectric relaxation time distribution of the permanent dipoles of ferroelectric polymers increase the constant phase angle level and constant phase zone of fractional-order capacitors. This approach opens up a new avenue in fabricating fractional capacitors involving a variety of heterostructures combining the different fillers and different matrixes.

No description available.

Ferroelectric non-volatile memories have gained momentous importance in the recent years. Significant research is being done on different device structures with several ferroelectric films for better data retention, lower power dissipation and higher density of integration. Metal - ferroelectric insulator – semiconductor (MIS) capacitor structures with Poly Vinylidene Fluoride(80%) - trifluoroethylene (20%) (PVDF – TrFE) copolymer are observed to demonstrate consistent dielectric properties and retainable memory action under selected operating conditions. Prior research was done on devices with MFeOS structure with an oxide buffer layer. The presence of a buffer oxide reduces the field acting on the film for memory state switching, which in effect requires the devices to be operated at higher voltages. In this work, MFeS devices with lower ferroelectric film thickness; with, and without a very thin buffer oxide have been studied. The dielectric behavior of PVDF thin film, when deposited directly on Si, is observed to exhibit reliable memory properties without significant charge injection under certain operating conditions. Electrical characteristics such as capacitance-voltage(C-V) and polarization-electric field (P-E) hysteresis with the direction of measurement and conduction properties through the junction have been comprehensively studied to establish the behavior of the MIS device for possible use in MIS FETs for high density ferroelectric memories.

Corrosion in underground and submerged steel pipes is a global problem. Coatings serve as an impermeable barrier or a sacrificial element to the transport of corrosive fluids. When this barrier fails, corrosion in the metal initiates. There is a critical need for sensors at the metal/coating interface as an early alert system. Current options utilize metal sensors, leading to accelerating corrosion. In this dissertation, a non-conductive sensor textile as a viable solution was investigated. For this purpose, non-woven zinc (II) oxide-polyvinylidene fluoride (ZnO-PVDF) nanocomposite fiber textiles were prepared in a range of weight fractions (1%, 3%, and 5% ZnO) and placed at the coating/steel interface. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) testing was performed during the immersion of the coated samples to validate the effectiveness of the sensor textile. In the second part of this dissertation, an accelerated thermal cyclic method has been applied to determine sensor's reliability in detecting corrosion under actual service condition. The results suggested that the coating is capable of detecting corrosion under harsh conditions. Moreover, the addition of ZnO decreases the error in sensor textile and improved coating's barrier property. In the next phase, experiments were conducted to detect the type of corrosion (pitting or uniform) underneath the protective coating as it has profound effect on overall performance and durability of the steel pipe. The data suggested that the pitting corrosion drew a lot of current, hence its resistance was significantly low which was tacked by the sensor accurately whereas the uniformly corroded specimens showed almost identical results which portrayed the sensor's ability to detect pitting corrosion.

No description available.

Satellite antenna design requirements are driving the satellite size to proportions that cannot be launched into space using current technology. In order to reduce the launch size and mass of satellites, inflatable structures, also known as gossamer structures, are being considered. Inflatable space-based structures are susceptible to vibration disturbance due to their low stiffness and damping. This thesis discusses the structural dynamics and vibration suppression via piezoelectric actuators, using active control of an inflatable torus. A commercial finite element package, ANSYS, is used to model the inflated torus. The effect of torus aspect ratio and inflation pressure on the vibratory response of the structure is investigated. The interaction with the torus of the surface-mounted piezoelectric patches, made of PVDF, is modeled using Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. A state space representation is created of the model in modal space and modal truncation is performed. Traditional control tools are used to suppress vibration in the structure. First observer-based full state feedback is used, then direct output velocity feedback is explored. The aspect ratio of the torus is found to significantly influence the mode shapes. Toroids of small aspect ratios, skinny toroids, act like rings, but the mode shapes of toroids with large aspect ratios are much more complicated. For toroids of small aspect ratios, increasing the inflation pressure simply results in stiffening the ring, thereby increasing the natural frequencies. Increasing the pressure in toroids with large aspect ratios changes both the mode shapes and natural frequencies. The passive effect of PVDF on the dynamics of the torus is small, the mode shapes do not change and the frequencies are only slightly reduced. Active control of toroids with small aspect ratios using piezoelectric devices is effective. It may be more difficult to control toroids with large aspect ratios because the mode shapes are much more complicated than the simple ring modes found in toroids with small aspect ratios. / Master of Science

Les actionneurs à base de polymères électroactifs ioniques constituent une alternative prometteuse par rapport aux actionneurs conventionnels, en particulier lorsqu’une réponse comparable à celle d’un muscle naturel est recherché. Parmi eux, les actionneurs à base de polymères conducteurs constituent une voie prometteuse pour des applications biomédicale où la biocompatibilité, la compacité et un positionnement précis sont requis. Néanmoins, l’essor de dispositifs fonctionnels est fortement ralenti en raison de la faible efficacité d’actionnement et de la rapide dégradation des performances de ce type d’actionneurs. L’absence de rétroaction sur la force ou sur la position est également un autre aspect limitant le développement de cette approche. L’objectif de cette thèse est de proposer une technique de fabrication à grande échelle pour l’élaboration d’actionneurs à base de polymères électroactifs ioniques et permettant également l’intégration de capteurs pour un contrôle rétroactif. L’impression par jet d’encre est une technologie clé pour le dépôt de polymères et une des plus alternatives les plus prometteuses pour la production d’actionneurs à base de polymères conducteurs. Cependant, la fabrication d’actionneurs par technique jet d’encre n’est pas encore totalement maîtrisée à cause des propriétés rhéologiques des solutions de polymères conducteurs qui rendent difficile le contrôle de l’éjection de gouttes mais également en raison de la nature complexe des interactions entre la solution et l’échantillon qui peut conduire à une faible adhésion et un mauvais contrôle de l’infiltration de l’encre. Pour optimiser cette méthode de fabrication, des membranes hybrides contenant des ions ont été développées. Le greffage d’un monomère hydrophile par plasma argon avec un dépôt contrôlé en profondeur a été utilisé pour obtenir des membranes en polyfluorure de vinylidène (PVDF) avec des surfaces hydrophiles tout en conservant une zone centrale hydrophobe. Ces membranes hybrides ont permis d’obtenir, par dépôt de gouttes, des actionneurs de morphologies très variées à base de polymères conducteurs. En outre, la durée de vie d’actionneurs obtenus avec une solution conductrice de poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) a été sensiblement augmentée avec des déformations de plus de 0.6% sans qu’aucun signe de délamination ne soit perceptible. Enfin, la nature complexe des mécanismes physico-chimiques à l’origine des interactions entre le film polymère et la membrane poreuse a été mieux appréhendée durant ce travail. Les conditions nécessaires pour assurer une forte adhésion et les effets conduisant à un mauvais contrôle de l’infiltration ont été partiellement identifiés. Ces résultats ont permis de définir les paramètres clés concernant la préparation de la membrane et la composition de la solution polymère. En associant l’ensemble de ces résultats avec les exigences liées à l’utilisation de l’impression de solutions par jet d’encre, nous avons réalisé, en utilisant cette technique de dépôt, les premiers actionneurs ioniques à base de PEDOT:PSS. / Onic electroactive polymer based artificial muscles are promising alternative to traditional actuators, especially where compliant muscle-like response is desirable. Among them, conducting polymer actuators (CPAs) are most promising for biomedical applications, where biocompatibility, compactness and accurate positioning is essential. Nevertheless, development of applicable devices is hold down by their low efficiency and fast performance deterioration. The absence of a tactile, force or position feed-back is another feature limiting the development of functional devices. The goal of this thesis is to develop a fabrication technique for conducting polymer based actuators that could be up-scalable and enable facile integration of sensory feedback. Inkjet printing is key technology in the field of defined polymer deposition as well as in fabrication of strain sensors. It is also one of the most promising alternatives to prevalent fabrication of conducting polymer actuators. Nevertheless, inkjet printed actuators were not yet realized due to rheological properties of conducting polymer solutions that challenge jetting and the complex solution - membrane interactions, that lead to poor adhesion or uncontrolled infiltration. In order to enable this fabrication method, hybrid ion-storing membranes were developed. Argon plasma induced grafting-to of hydrophilic macromonomer with limited-indepth deposition was used to obtain polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes with hydrophilic upper surfaces and hydrophobic centre. Functionalized PVDF membranes were shown to withhold good adhesion to the conducting polymer films and preserve electrically insulating layer in between them. Hybrid membranes were demonstrated to be advantageous in fabrication of CPAs by drop casting and enable production of actuators with various morphologies. Furthermore, fabricated poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) based actuators demonstrated long lifetime with no signs of delamination as well as large strain of more than 0.6%. In addition, the complex nature of the physico-chemical mechanisms of the interactions between the polymer film and the porous membrane was better understood during this work. The conditions necessary in order to ensure strong adhesion as well as circumstances leading to uncontrolled infiltration were partially identified. These were used to set up limits to membrane preparation and polymer solution composition. Combining obtained knowledge with known requirements for inkjet printable solutions lead to the realization of the first inkjet printed PEDOT:PSS based ionic actuators.

[pt] As propriedades mecânicas, reológicas e elétricas do polímero poli (fluoreto de vinilideno) – PVDF – têm sido extensivamente estudadas, mas em particular é sua propriedade piezoelétrica que motiva a maior parte dos trabalhos, visto que a piezoeletricidade ocorre em poucos materiais e é mais intensa no PVDF em relação a outros polímeros. O fator chave que define a faixa de aplicação de polímeros piezoelétricos é a sua utilização na concepção de transdutores, sensores e atuadores. Neste sentido, a presente pesquisa analisa a aplicabilidade do polímero PVDF em tubulações para medição de vazão de água, empregando como método de medição de vazão a técnica de Flow Induced Vibration (FIV), considerando as propriedades piezoelétricas peculiares do polimorfo PVDF-B(beta). De modo geral, a FIV é um fenômeno que causa instabilidade das tubulações que transportam fluidos, tido como um problema operacional que ocorre em muitas plantas industriais. No entanto, este fenômeno passou a ser investigado como uma técnica de medição de vazão, a qual considera que a massa de um fluido pode ser indiretamente medida, medindo-se a aceleração que ela transmite para outro corpo, de modo que o desvio padrão do sinal da vibração medida aumenta com a vazão, sendo mais bem ajustado por um polinômio de segundo grau. A metodologia de trabalho consistiu em caracterizar o material espectroscopicamente, por meio de técnicas de Espectroscopia no Infravermelho com Transformada de Fourier (FTIR) e Difração de Raios-X (DRX); eletromecanicamente, em um shaker mecânico no Laboratório de Sensores a Fibras Ópticas do Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica da PUC-Rio; e finalmente em um circuito hidráulico de testes do Laboratório de Escoamento de Fluidos do Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica da PUC-Rio. Ensaios foram realizados de forma a identificar os níveis de tensões elétricas geradas pela vibração oriunda da passagem da água no tubo de PVDF. Visando à comparação com os sinais de vibração, foram realizadas medições simultâneas com acelerômetros e um filme de PVDF. Para medir a deformação no tubo adotaram-se sensores de Rede de Bragg. Os resultados dos ensaios de FIV permitiram concluir que o desvio padrão do sinal da tensão medida pelo tubo de PVDF é proporcional à vazão. No entanto, algumas variáveis precisaram ser controladas. As incertezas associadas à medição de vazão pelo tubo mostraram uma considerável redução nos níveis mais altos de vazão. Por outro lado, nos níveis mais baixos de vazão observou-se uma instabilidade muito grande, possivelmente devido ao processo de acomodação mecânica inicial do tubo. Apesar disso, uma forte relação entre o sinal gerado pelo tubo de PVDF e a vazão que induziu esta vibração permitiu que a aplicabilidade do tubo de PVDF como medidor de vazão de água fosse comprovada. / [en] The mechanical, rheological and electrical properties of polymer poly (vinylidene fluoride) - PVDF - have been extensively studied, but in particular it is its piezoelectric property that motivates most of the works, since the piezoelectricity occurs in few materials and is more intense in PVDF relative to other polymers. The key factor that defines the range of applications of piezoelectric polymers is their use in the conception of transducers, sensors and actuators. In this sense, the present research analyzes the applicability of the PVDF polymer in pipes for the measurement of water flow rate, using as flow measurement method the Flow Induced Vibration (FIV) technique, considering the peculiar piezoelectric properties of the polymorph PVDF-B(beta). In general, the FIV is a phenomenon that causes instability of the pipes that transport fluids, considered as an operational problem that occurs in many industrial plants. However, this phenomenon has been investigated as a flow rate measurement technique, which considers that the mass of a fluid can be indirectly measured by measuring the acceleration it transmits to another body, so that the standard deviation of the signal of the measured vibration increases with the flow rate, being better adjusted by a second degree polynomial. The work methodology consisted in characterizing the material spectroscopically, using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) techniques; electromechanically, in a mechanical shaker at the Optical Fiber Sensors Laboratory of the Mechanical Engineering Department of PUC-Rio; and finally in a test hydraulic circuit of the Laboratory of Fluid Flow of the Department of Mechanical Engineering of PUC-Rio. Tests were carried out in order to identify the levels of electrical voltages generated by the vibration caused by the passage of water in the PVDF tube. In order to compare the vibration signals, simultaneous measurements were made with accelerometers and a PVDF film. To measure the deformation in the tube, Bragg Network sensors were adopted. The results of the FIV tests allowed concluding that the standard deviation of the voltage signal measured by the PVDF tube is proportional to the flow rate. However, some variables had to be controlled. The uncertainties associated with flow rate measurement by tube showed a considerable reduction in the higher flow rates. On the other hand, in the lower levels of flow rate a very great instability was observed, possibly due to the process of initial mechanical accommodation of the tube. Nevertheless, a strong relationship between the signal generated by the PVDF tube and the flow rate that induced this vibration allowed that the applicability of the PVDF tube as a water flow meter was proved.

La pénurie d'eau est devenue un des problèmes clés à résoudre, et pour y faire face, il est nécessaire de disposer d'unités de traitement de l'eau efficaces. Au cours des dernières décennies la technologie des membranes est devenue l'une des techniques les plus prometteuses pour le traitement de l'eau. Néanmoins, les membranes ont une durée de vie limitée et sont, par ailleurs, sujettes à des phénomènes de colmatage - le dépôt, l'adsorption et l'absorption de particules dans la structure de la membrane -, ce qui réduit leur productivité, et augmente les coûts opérationnels. Une approche pour minimiser ce problème consiste à modifier des membranes hydrophobes, mécaniquement et chimiquement stables, en y greffant des matériaux amphiphiles afin de réduire le colmatage. L'objectif principal de ce travail est de caractériser les propriétés anti-colmatage des membranes de PVDF (Polyvinylidene fluoride) modifiées avec différents types de copolymères PS-PEGMA (Polystyrene - Poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate), tout d'abord par l'utilisation de techniques classiques, puis, par le développement et / ou l'adaptation de techniques microfluidiques couplés à la microscopie à fluorescence et l'utilisation de la cartographie par microspectroscopie infrarouge à transformée de Fourier (IRTF). La cartographie IRTF a permis de quantifier localement le greffage et de mettre en évidence l'hétérogénéité du greffage sur la membrane. Ces cartes, représentant l'importance du greffage sur la membrane, ont par ailleurs été corrélées au dépôt de protéines sur la surface. Des systèmes microfluidiques ont également été développés pour caractériser sous microscope à fluorescence l'adsorption de protéines fluorescentes sur une membrane en présence d'un débit. Cette étude permet de suivre in situ et en dynamique l'adsorption (lors de cycles de filtration) et la désorption (lors de cycles de rinçage) de protéines sur la membrane. Ces mesures locales ont été mises en regard avec des mesures de permeabilité lors de cycles filtrations/rinçage mettant en évidence un rôle anti-fouling en particulier pour les copolymères tri-blocs ou pour les copolymères à enchaînement aléatoire. / Water scarcity has become one of the key issues to solve, and efficient water treatment is paramount to treat water sources. In recent decades membrane technology has become one of the promising solutions for water treatment. Nevertheless, membranes are prone to fouling phenomena - the deposition, adsorption, and absorption of particles in the membrane structure -, which hinders their life-span and productivity, and raise operative costs. One approach to minimize this issue is to modify the already mechanically and chemically stable hydrophobic membranes with amphiphilic materials. The main aim of this work is to characterise the anti-fouling properties of PVDF (Polyvinylidene fluoride) membranes modified with different types of PS-PEGMA (Polystyrene - Poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) copolymers, firstly by using classical techniques, and then, by developing and/or adapting new ones: microfluidic devices coupled with fluorescence microscopy, and the use of Fourier Transform Infrared microspectroscopy (FTIR mapping). FTIR mapping allowed the local detection of the coating layer and showed its heterogeneous distribution on the surface of the membrane. These maps, that represent the importance of the coating on the membrane, were correlated with the deposit of proteins on the surface. Microfluidic systems were also developed to characterise the adsorption of fluorescent proteins on the membrane under a fluorescent microscope in the presence of a flow. This study allowed the in-situ and dynamic follow-up of the adsorption - during filtration cycles - and of the desorption - during rinsing cycles - of the proteins on the membrane. These local measurements were compared against permeability measurements during the filtration/rinsing cycles evidencing the anti-fouling role of the copolymers used for the modification of the membranes, particularly for the triblock and random copolymers.