Piezoelectric fibers

Every year, more than 400 million tons of plastic are manufactured, including single-use items such as shopping bags and drinking cups. Because these materials can reach the environment without degrading for a long time, researchers and companies are looking for materials that offer similar physical properties as conventional plastics but will quickly biodegrade and won't cause harm to plants and animals.

A polymer invented, designed, and chemically synthesized by Isao Noda, an affiliated professor with the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in UD's College of Engineering, is one such alternative material that is bio-based and biodegradable. Since then, and enabled by an ongoing collaboration with John Rabolt, the Karl W. and Renate Böer Professor in Materials Science and Engineering, this polymer was found to have surprisingly high piezoelectric properties, meaning that it's capable of producing electricity when bent or deformed.

Now, the UD-based research team has been awarded a U.S. patent for the use of this innovative material to produce piezoelectric devices. Along with patents already awarded in several other countries, this achievement paves the way for a wide range of potential applications and commercialization opportunities.