ISBN Number:
1-56091-876-4Accession Number:
WOS:A1996BH68S00062Abstract:
Cars of the future will require ''smart materials'' that integrate sensors and actuators into a seamless unit. We report on three novel fabrication technologies for these materials: (1) multi-layer tape lamination to make large-scale, integrated piezoelectric materials, (2) stereolithography for the production of complex, three-dimensional ceramic materials by laser photo-curing of ceramic dispersions, and (3) microcontact printing to apply and pattern polymeric or ceramic materials onto two-dimensional surfaces. Each of these processing techniques permits miniaturization of the cell subunits and assembly of these sub-units into large scale active materials.