Electret gel interfaces of phthalo blue and plasticized PVC for enhanced vibrotactile actuation

High- k electret gels composed of copper (II) phthalocyanine nanoparticles ( np CuPc) and plasticized polyvinyl chloride ( p PVC) have been developed for the fabrication of smart, reliable vibrotactile actuator devices. These High- k electret gels were prepared by uniform distribution of np CuPc into p PVC in a stoichiometric ratio using a high-power ultrasonic probe, followed by a straightforward solution casting protocol. The interactions between np CuPc and p PVC in the hybrid high- k electret gel composites were analyzed in detail using various physicochemical characterization techniques. Additionally, these high- k electrets are used as dielectric interfaces for the fabrication of vibrotactile actuator devices, the np CuPc/ p PVC hybrid composite electret gels demonstrated a low leakage current (∼1.75 µA), indicating efficient electric power utilization during actuation. The np CuPc- p PVC-3 gel demonstrated an ultimate dielectric constant of ∼343.0 at 1.0 Hz, which likely contributed to its excellent actuation performance and long-term durability. Moreover, the actuators made from np CuPc- p PVC-3 gels showed remarkable robustness, maintaining performance across three consecutive days of continuous use. Notably, its actuation performance remained highly stable, with only a slight decline from 0.88 g to 0.871 g, emphasizing its impressive reliability and endurance. • High- k electret gels were fabricated using nano-phthalo blue and plasticized PVC. • Fabricated np CuPc- p PVC-3 showed peak dielectric constant of ∼343.0 at 1 Hz. • Leakage current reduced to ∼1.75 µA for better power efficiency. • Stable actuation over 3 consecutive days with minimal performance drop.