Strain characteristics of additive manufactured polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) actuators

Polyvinyldene fluoride (PVDF) polymer piezoelectric actuators were manufactured using an electric poling-assisted additive manufacturing (EPAM) process and tested for actuation strain in the thickness direction. A heterodyne interferometer was used to measure the strain developed by the actuators as a function of applied voltage. Results were compared to a commercially available ceramic lead–zirconium–titanate (PZT) actuator. The EPAM PVDF...