AIR-BRUSHED CARBON NANOTUBE (CNT) AND INKJET-PRINTED SILVER AND PEDOT:PSS LAYER AS ALTERNATIVE ELECTRODES FOR PIEZOELECTRIC POLYMER TRANSDUCER

Different routes for electrode processing which fulfill the requirements of piezoelectric transducer will be presented. One attempt is the electrode deposition via inkjet printing, another is the deposition via an air-brush technique. For the preparation of electrodes via inkjet printing, different inks such as a silver composite or the semiconducting poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) : polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) are used. A further attempt is the deposition of carbon nano tubes (CNT's) via an air-brush technique. For all three systems the ink or solution formulation, the deposition techniques, suitable parameter and partly additional encapsulation steps will be, discussed in detail accompanied by a description of electrode properties, e.g. the conductivity, as well as by the characterization of the materials poling behavior in particular.