Electromechanical response of NCC-PEO composites

Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) has been widely studied as a solid-polymer electrolyte where both the cations and anions can move inside of it under an applied electric field. The motion of these charge carriers in the PEO results in the accumulation of ions close to the electrodes. The inherent size difference between the types of ions causes an unequal volume change between the two sides which translates to an observed mechanical bending. This is similar to electroactive polymers made from conducting polymers. Typically, PEO has a slow response. Some efforts have been given to develop PEO-based polymer blends to improve their performance. In this work, a fundamental study on the electromechanical response is conducted: the time dependence of the electromechanical response is characterized for PEO under different electric fields. Based on the results, a new methodology to monitor the electromechanical response is introduced. The method is based on the frequency dependence of the samples' dielectric properties. To improve the electromechanical response, the PEO is embedded with piezoelectric nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC). NCC is a biomass derivative that is biodegradable, renewable, and inexpensive. The dielectric, mechanical, and electromechanical properties of the NCC-PEO composites are characterized. It is found that the mechanical and electromechanical properties of the PEO are significantly improved with adding NCC. For example, the composites with 1.5 vol.% of NCC exhibit an electromechanical strain and elastic modulus that is 33.4% and 20.1% higher, respectively, than for PEO without NCC. However, the electromechanical response decreases when the NCC content is high.