FLEX-SCO

The FLEX-SCO project concerns the field of electroactive polymer films ensuring a mechano-electric energy conversion. The transduction mechanism considered is the flexoelectric effect which corresponds to an electric polarization induced by a deformation gradient (curvature). However, this coupling is still little studied and remains weak compared to the piezoelectric effect in organic films. The objective is to develop flexible semiconductor films, with flexoelectric coefficients 100 times higher than those currently measured, offering an alternative to piezoelectric films. The approach consists in using conjugated semiconductor molecules/polymers with high ionic and electronic polarizabilities. The combination of the two functionalities -flexibility of the films and exalted flexoelectricity- would allow the use of these films for the conversion of low frequency (<100 Hz) ambient micro-energy from different sources (air flow, pressure,..)