A piezoelectric capacitor includes A) a composite article that has 1) a dry piezoelectric layer (dry PL); 2) a first dry electrode comprising a dry electrically-conductive layer arranged contiguously with a first opposing surface of the dry PL; and 3) a second dry electrode arranged contiguously with a second opposing surface of the dry PL. The dry electrically-conductive layer has essentially (a) an electrically-conductive material; and (b) particles having a Young's modulus that is different from the Young's modulus of the (a) electrically-conductive material by at least 10%. The capacitor also has B) electrical communication means attached to both electrodes for electrical communication of the composite article with an external electrical circuit.

The present invention is a piezoelectric composition and a piezoelectric element using the piezoelectric composition, the composition being characterized by: having a Perovskite structure represented by general formula ABO3; being represented by composition formula x(Bi0.5K0.5)TiO3-yBi(Mg0.5Ti0.5)O3-zBiFeO3, x+y+z=1 in the composition formula above; and in a triangular coordinate using x, y and z in the composition formula above, having a composition represented by a region which is surrounded by a pentagon ABCDE with apexes of point A (1, 0, 0), point B (0.7, 0.3, 0), point C (0.1, 0.3, 0.6), point D (0.1, 0.1, 0.8) and point E (0.2, 0, 0.8) and which does not include the line segment AE that connects point A (1, 0, 0) and point E (0.2, 0, 0.8).

In manufacturing method of a cylindrical piezoelectric element, a cylindrical piezoelectric material is formed by molding a piezoelectric material into a cylindrical shape and subjecting the molded piezoelectric material to calcination. A reference electrode is provided on an inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical piezoelectric material. Drive electrodes are provided in a circumferential direction so that the drive electrodes are extending in an axial direction from one end to the other end on an outer circumferential surface. A polarization electrode is provided at a part of the circumferential surface in the vicinity of the one end. A predetermined voltage is applied between the polarization electrode and the reference electrode. The polarization electrode is removed from the cylindrical piezoelectric material.

Provided is a flexible piezoelectric composite. The flexible piezoelectric composite includes a matrix having first and second polymers, wherein Young's modulus of the first polymer and Young's modulus of the second polymer are different from each other; and a conductive nanostructure disposed in the matrix. In addition, a piezoelectric device including the flexible piezoelectric composite is provided.

The invention relates to methods and compositions for preparing silk-based piezoelectric materials and methods for increasing piezoelectricity in silk matrices.

An apparatus comprising a frame and a pressure sensitive adhesive applied to at least a portion of the frame, where the pressure sensitive adhesive is arranged to bond a pre-strained film to the frame is disclosed. A method of making the apparatus also is disclosed. Also disclosed is a method of preparing a stretch frame for manufacturing electroactive polymer devices thereon.

A piezoelectric sensor, a manufacturing method thereof and an electronic device are provided. The piezoelectric sensor includes a substrate, an active layer, the active layer being disposed at a side of the substrate: a first electrode, the first electrode being disposed at a side of the active laver a wav from the substrate, and the first electrode including a plurality of sub-electrodes disposed at intervals: a piezoelectric layer, the piezoelectric layer being disposed at a side of the first electrode away from the active layer; and a second electrode, the second electrode being disposed at a side of the piezoelectric layer away from the first electrode. The active layer is configured to be capable of switching between an insulating state and a conducting state, and in the conducting state the active layer is capable of conducting the plurality of sub-electrodes.

A dielectric elastomer vibration system includes a dielectric elastomer vibrator with a dielectric elastomer layer and a pair of electrode layers, and a power supply device producing a potential difference across the electrode layers. The vibrator exhibits various modes or regions of relationship between potential difference and deformation induced by the potential difference: a high-response region in which a relatively large deformation is induced; a low-response region of lower-potential difference in which a relatively small deformation is induced; and a low-response region of higher-potential difference in which a relatively small deformation is induced or in which a break point of the dielectric elastomer layer is included. The power supply device produces the potential difference by applying across the electrode layers a vibration signal voltage, which is generated by combining an AC voltage with a bias DC voltage corresponding to a potential difference falling in the high-response region.

A light, flexible, and tough thin film having high total light transmittance that can be formed on various three dimensional shapes, and also provides a stably driven tactile sensor, which is an electronic device having the switching function thereof, is provided. The tactile sensor is formed on a polyimide thin film having high total light transmittance, thermal resistance, and a polar component of surface free energy with a specific value, and has a switching device that emits a voltage signal which, through an electronic circuit for controlling noise, stably drives another device. This tactile sensor has a curved or flat surface and has a first electrode, a ferroelectric layer, and a second electrode formed over the polyimide thin film. The switching device as a tactile sensor can drive another device merely by a light touch with a finger, and can be manufactured at a high non-defective rate.

A method for producing a ferroelectric polymer element includes: disposing one electrode on a substrate; applying polymer solution in which a polyvinylidene fluoride-based polymer is dissolved in a solvent including an aprotic polar solvent onto the one electrode by forme-based printing; firing the polymer solution to crystallize the polyvinylidene fluoride-based polymer, so that a ferroelectric layer is formed; and disposing the other electrode on the ferroelectric layer.