TY - JOUR A1 - Singh, Rajeev A1 - Mellinger, Axel T1 - Measurement of through-thickness thermal diffusivity of thermoplastics using thermal wave method JF - Indian journal of physics N2 - Thermo-physical properties, such as thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and specific heat are important quantities that are needed to interpret and characterize thermoplastic materials. Such characterization is necessary for many applications, ranging from aerospace engineering to food packaging, electrical and electronic industry and medical science. In this work, the thermal diffusivity of commercially available polymeric films is measured in the thickness direction at room temperature using thermal wave method. The results obtained with this method are in good agreement with theoretical and experimental values. KW - Thermoplastics KW - Thermal diffusivity KW - Thermal wave method KW - Polymer Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s12648-014-0579-2 SN - 0973-1458 SN - 0974-9845 VL - 89 IS - 4 SP - 361 EP - 368 PB - Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science CY - Kolkata ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Qiu, Xunlin A1 - Mellinger, Axel A1 - Wirges, Werner A1 - Gerhard, Reimund T1 - Spectroscopic study of dielectric barrier discharges in cellular polypropylene ferroelectrets N2 - The transient light emission from the dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) in cellular polypropylene ferroelectrets subjected to high electric poling fields was spectroscopically measured. The spectrum shows strong emission from the second positive system of molecular nitrogen, N-2(C (3)Pi(u))-> N-2(B (3)Pi(g)), and the first negative system of N-2(+), N-2(+)(B (2)Sigma(+)(u))-> N-2(+)(X (2)Sigma(+)(g)), consistent with a DBD in air. When a dc voltage is applied stepwise to the ferroelectret film, light emission starts above a threshold, coinciding with the threshold voltage in obtaining piezoelectricity. From selected vibronic band strength ratios, the electric field in the discharge was determined and found to agree with Townsend breakdown. Y1 - 2007 UR - http://apl.aip.org/ U6 - https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2786597 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Qiu, Xunlin A1 - Mellinger, Axel A1 - Wirges, Werner A1 - Gerhard, Reimund T1 - Dielectric barrier discharges during the generation of ferroelectrets : optical spectroscopy for process monitoring Y1 - 2007 SN - 978-1-4244-1482-6 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Qiu, Xunlin A1 - Mellinger, Axel A1 - Wegener, Michael A1 - Wirges, Werner A1 - Gerhard, Reimund T1 - Barrier discharges in cellular polypropylene ferroelectrets : how do they influence the electromechanical properties? Y1 - 2007 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Qiu, Xunlin A1 - Gerhard, Reimund A1 - Mellinger, Axel T1 - Turning polymer foams or polymer-film systems into ferroelectrets dielectric barrier discharges in voids JF - IEEE transactions on dielectrics and electrical insulation N2 - Polymer foams and void-containing polymer-film systems with internally charged voids combine large piezoelectricity with mechanical flexibility and elastic compliance. This new class of soft materials (often called ferro-or piezoelectrets) has attracted considerable attention from science and industry. It has been found that the voids can be internally charged by means of dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) under high electric fields. The charged voids can be considered as man-made macroscopic dipoles. Depending on the ferroelectret structure and the pressure of the internal gas, the voids may be highly compressible. Consequently, very large dipole-moment changes can be induced by mechanical or electrical stresses, leading to large piezoelectricity. DBD charging of the voids is a critical process for rendering polymer foams piezoelectric. Thus a comprehensive exploration of DBD charging is essential for the understanding and the optimization of piezoelectricity in ferroelectrets. Recent studies show that DBDs in the voids are triggered when the internal electric field reaches a threshold value according to Townsend's model of Paschen breakdown. During the DBDs, charges of opposite polarity are generated and trapped at the top and bottom internal surfaces of the gas-filled voids, respectively. The deposited charges induce an electric field opposite to the externally applied one and thus extinguish the DBDs. Back discharges may eventually be triggered when the external voltage is reduced or turned off. In order to optimize the efficiency of DBD charging, the geometry (in particular the height) of the voids, the type of gas and its pressure inside the voids are essential factors to be considered and to be optimized. In addition, the influence of the plasma treatment on the internal void surfaces during the DBDs should be taken into consideration. KW - Ferroelectret KW - piezoelectret KW - dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) KW - effective polarization KW - man-made dipole Y1 - 2011 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1109/TDEI.2011.5704490 SN - 1070-9878 VL - 18 IS - 1 SP - 34 EP - 42 PB - Inst. of Electr. and Electronics Engineers CY - Piscataway ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Pham, Cong Duc A1 - Petre, Anca A1 - Berquez, Laurent A1 - Flores Suárez, Rosaura A1 - Mellinger, Axel A1 - Wirges, Werner A1 - Gerhard, Reimund T1 - 3D high-resolution mapping of polarization profiles in thin poly(vinylidenefluoride-trifluoroethylene) (PVDF- TrFE) films using two thermal techniques N2 - In this paper, two non-destructive thermal methods are used in order to determine, with a high degree of accuracy, three-dimensional polarization distributions in thin films (12 mu m) of poly(vinylidenefluoride- trifluoroethylene) (PVDF-TrFE). The techniques are the frequency-domain Focused Laser Intensity Modulation Method (FLIMM) and time-domain Thermal-Pulse Tomography (TPT). Samples were first metalized with grid-shaped electrode and poled. 3D polarization mapping yielded profiles which reproduce the electrode-grid shape. The polarization is not uniform across the sample thickness. Significant polarization values are found only at depths beyond 0.5 mu m from the sample surface. Both methods provide similar results, TPT method being faster, whereas the FLIMM technique has a better lateral resolution. Y1 - 2009 UR - http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/servlet/opac?punumber=94 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1109/TDEI.2009.5128505 SN - 1070-9878 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mellinger, Axel A1 - Wegener, Michael A1 - Wirges, Werner A1 - Mallepally, Rajendar Reddy A1 - Gerhard, Reimund T1 - Thermal and temporal stability of ferroelectret films made from cellular polypropylene/air composites N2 - Ferroelectrets are thin films of polymer foams, exhibiting piezoelectric properties after electrical charging. Ferroelectret foams usually consist of a cellular polymer structure filled with air. Polymer-air composites are elastically soft due to their high air content as well as due to the size and shape of the polymer walls. Their elastically soft composite structure is one essential key for the working principle of ferroelectrets, besides the permanent trapping of electric charges inside the polymer voids. The elastic properties allow large deformations of the electrically charged voids. However, the composite structure can also possibly limit the stability and consequently the range of applications because of, e. g., penetration of gas and liquids accompanied by discharge phenomena or because of a mechanical pre-load which may be required during the application. Here, we discuss various stability aspects related to the piezoelectric properties of polypropylene ferroelectrets. Near and below room temperature, the piezoelectric effect and the stability of the trapped charges are practically independent from humidity during long-time storage in a humid atmosphere or water, or from operating conditions, such as continuous mechanical excitation. Thermal treatment of cellular polypropylene above -10 degrees C leads to a softening of the voided structure which is apparent from the decreasing values of the elastic modulus. This decrease results in an increase of the piezoelectric activity. Heating above 60 degrees C, however, leads to a decrease in piezoelectricity Y1 - 2006 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mellinger, Axel A1 - Wegener, Michael A1 - Wirges, Werner A1 - Mallepally, Rajendar Reddy A1 - Gerhard, Reimund T1 - Thermal and temporal stability of ferroelectret films made from cellular polypropylene/air composites Y1 - 2006 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mellinger, Axel A1 - Wegener, Michael A1 - Wirges, Werner A1 - Gerhard, Reimund T1 - Thermally stable dynamic piezoelectricity in sandwich films of porous and non-porous amorphous fluoropolymer Y1 - 2001 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mellinger, Axel A1 - Singh, Rajeev A1 - Wegener, Michael A1 - Wirges, Werner A1 - Gerhard, Reimund A1 - Lang, Sidney B. T1 - Three-dimensional mapping of polarization profiles with thermal pulses N2 - High-resolution, large-area three-dimensional mapping of polarization profiles in electret polymers was carried out by means of a fast thermal pulse technique with a focused laser beam. A lateral resolution of 38 mu m and a near- surface depth resolution of less than 0.5 mu m was achieved. At larger depths, fast thermal diffusion in the metal electrode rather than the laser spot size becomes the limiting factor for the lateral resolution. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics Y1 - 2005 SN - 0003-6951 ER -