Conductive PET Fibers with Magnetocaloric Doping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing materials for radiation absorption and generation, particularly at high temperatures, lack cost-effective production methods and efficient combinations of mechanical strength, electrical conductivity, and magnetocaloric effects, with known alloys exhibiting weak magnetocaloric effects and undesirable hysteresis.

Innovation Solution

Development of PET fibers doped with metallic elements, such as MnFe phosphorus compounds, which provide electrical conductivity, enhanced mechanical properties, and strong magnetocaloric effects, allowing for controlled radiation absorption and generation, as well as improved cooling capabilities, through a combination of thermal and electrical energy emission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If metallic elements are incorporated into PET to provide electrical conductivity, then electrical conductivity is improved, but production cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical conductivityVSAvoidproduction cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of PET by incorporating specific metallic elements (Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, W, Si, B) in optimized quantities. This allows the material to achieve electrical conductivity while maintaining cost-effectiveness through selective doping rather than using expensive pure conductive materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite material by combining PET base material with metallic elements. This composite approach allows the polymer to retain its mechanical properties while gaining electrical conductivity, avoiding the need to use entirely different expensive conductive materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Power

If strong magnetocaloric alloys are used to achieve strong magnetocaloric effects, then cooling capability is improved, but hysteresis behavior worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemagnetocaloric effect strengthVSAvoidhysteresis behavior
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the concentration parameters of metallic elements (particularly Fe and Mn) within the PET matrix to achieve strong magnetocaloric effects. By controlling the amount and distribution of these elements, the material exhibits enhanced cooling capability with reduced hysteresis compared to traditional strong-magnetocaloric alloys.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The PET composite material achieves efficient radiation absorption and generation, combined with enhanced mechanical strength and cooling effects, using environmentally friendly doping elements that optimize heat emission and absorption across a wide temperature range.

Implementation Method 1

PET materials are made from monomers such as terephthalic acid or benzene dicarboxylic acid and ethylene glycol or dihydroxyethane or ethanediol. In order to be able to produce quantities that are relevant for commercial application, large-scale production is carried out by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethanediol.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical conductivity: Conduction (electrical)

Implementation Method 2

It is also known that various, predominantly metallic materials such as alloys with gadolinium or other rare earth metals have a magnetocaloric effect. In the case of the magnetocaloric effect, the material heats up when exposed to a magnetic field and cools down again when the influence of the magnetic field is removed.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetocaloric effect: Magnetocaloric Effect

Implementation Method 3

The PET composite material achieves efficient radiation absorption and generation, combined with enhanced mechanical strength and cooling effects, using environmentally friendly doping elements that optimize heat emission and absorption across a wide temperature range.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal radiation: Thermal Radiation

Data Source

PatentEP3489969B1Fibre made of plastic with electrical conductivity
Publication Date: 2020.10.07 EDD INNOVATIONS GMBH
  • EP3489969B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3489969B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The fiber is made of plastic and is electrically conductive. The fiber material is formed from a PET base material. Elements are embedded in the base material. These elements are atomic in size and their electron clouds overlap, at least partially.