Macroscale characterization of dielectrophoresis effect on particulate-based ferroelectric composites

The use of the dielectrophoresis (DEP) process during the fabrication of particulate-based multifunctional polymer composites (MPCs) enhances their effective properties. The reconfiguration of particle alignment through DEP improves connectivity and, consequently, the electromechanical response of these materials. In this study, the motion of a spherical conductive particle subjected to a non-uniform electric is used to isolate electrostatic effects from dielectrophoresis effects. The role of frequency in charge accumulation, redistribution dynamics, and particle motion is analyzed under varying experimental conditions. To estimate the influence of direct charge exchange, conductive particle movement is compared between different cases with and without insulating conformal coating covering the electrodes. Dominant electrostatic effects are found at low frequencies while dominant dielectrophoresis effect increase as the frequency increases.