Ultrasound Transducer Made of Nanoporous PVDF for Underwater Communications

This paper presents ultrasound transducers made of nanoporous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) for future Underwater Internet of Things (IOT) communications. Incorporation of nanopore structures allow transducers mechanically compliant and a mean for tuning acoustic impedance as acoustic receivers. By sacrificial etching of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles embedded in PVDF during film preparation, the nanoporous PVDF shows smaller Young's modulus and enhanced beta-phase formation. The porous membrane has deformed to dome shapes permanently to enhance its responses and bandwidth.