Fluorine-free transducers

Objective

High dielectric permittivity elastomers are critical for next-generation soft transducers, particularly in automotive, biomedical, robotics, energy storage, and electronic applications, where poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF) and its copolymers are often used as a dielectric. However, they are part of the broader class of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for which regulatory scrutiny is increasing, particularly regarding emissions and end-of-life disposal. In fact, these polymers may be discontinued, and thus several industry sectors are seeking alternative, environmentally friendly materials that are not only cost-effective but also compatible with scalable manufacturing processes and recyclable. During the ERC Grant TRANS, we developed a new class of dielectric elastomers that exhibits high dielectric permittivity and meets the stringent demands of ultrathin-film fabrication and device integration, making it particularly well-suited for replacing PVDF in several transducer applications. The proposed project focuses on upscaling the synthesis of this new class of high dielectric permittivity elastomers. It will allow us to manufacture ready-to-use thin dielectric films, which will be supplied as test material to different industries, start-ups, and researchers. Different transducer prototypes as demonstrators will be produced and supplied to potential customers. By combining novel materials innovation with process engineering and prototype manufacturing, this project bridges the gap between research and industry, positioning Europe as a global leader and opening new market opportunities. The proposed project will thus bring research findings from ERC project TRANS into applications. It will deliver solvent-free dielectric inks with tunable viscosity suitable for different processing, standardized high dielectric permittivity films with different thicknesses, and prototypes incorporating our material to demonstrate functionality.