To develop artificial muscles with improved performance, a novel ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) actuator was
developed by employing the newly-synthesized ionic networking film of poly (styrene-alt-maleimide) (PSMI)-
incorporated poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF). Scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscopy
revealed that much smaller and more uniform nano-sized platinum particles were formed on the surfaces of the film as
well as within its polymer matrix after the electroless-plating process. Fourier transform infrared results suggested that
no hydrolysis occurred for the as-prepared film actuator before and after the exposure to the elevated PH solutions at
25°C for 48h. The new actuator showed much larger tip displacement than that of a Nafion-based counterpart under the
applied electrical stimulus, and overcame the back relaxation of the traditional IPMC actuator under the constant voltage.
The current actuator was operated over 6.5h at high-frequency sinusoidal excitation, and its tip displacement was still
comparable to that of the referenced Nafion actuator when the test was terminated. The excellent electromechanical
performance is due to the inherent large ionic-exchange capacity and the unique hydrophilic nano-channels of the ionic
networking film. Furthermore, the working principle of the developed IPMC actuator is thought to be based on a
combination of piezoelectricity and ionic transport. The film of PSMI-incorporated PVDF has some advantages over the
most widely-used Nafion-based one by diversifying niche applications in biomimetic motion, and the present study is
believed to open a new avenue for the design and fabrication of the electro-active polymer film with unique functional
properties.
There is growing interest in searching for new smart materials, which responds to external stimuli by changes in shape or
size and can be utilized in biomimetic motions. To develop artificial muscles with improved performance, a novel
electro-active polymer actuator was prepared by employing the newly-synthesized ionic networking membrane of poly
(styrene-alt-maleimide) (PSMI)-incorporated poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF). Scanning electron microscope (SEM)
and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that much smaller and more uniform platinum particles were
formed on the surfaces of the actuator fabricated through the electroless-plating technique as well as within its polymer
matrix. Under constant voltage excitation, the tip displacement of the actuator constructed with the ionic network
membrane was several times larger than that of its Nafion(R) counterpart of similar thickness without straightening-back.
Under the stimulus of alternating-current voltage, the newly-developed actuator displayed an excellent harmonic
performance, and the measured mechanical displacement was comparable to that of the Nafion(R)-based actuator. The nice
electromechanical response, especially the large tip displacement, is attributed to two factors: the inherent large ionic-exchange
capacity and the unique hydrophilic nanochannels of the ionic networking membrane. The actuator of PSMI-incorporated
PVDF has some advantages over the most widely-used traditional Nafion-based actuator by diversifying
niche applications in biomimetic motion, and the present study may possibly open a new avenue for the design and
fabrication of the electro-active polymer with unique functional properties.
There is growing interest in biomimetic motions by employing ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) as the
candidates for the fabrication of artificial muscle. However, the membrane materials currently used in IPMC actuators
have been limited to a few commercially available perfluorinated ionic polymers, such as Nafion, and they suffer from
several shortcomings among which their high cost presents a major obstacle for wide application. With excellent proton
conductivity and high water uptake capacity, commercially available Sulfonated poly (styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene)
(SEBS) of low cost has been investigated for many years as a fuel cell membrane. Herein, we report the preparation of a
novel IPMC actuator based on the sulfonated SEBS (SSEBS) membrane. The platinum electrodes of the SEBS actuators
were obtained with electroless plating procedure, and the cation exchange with lithium was performed by soaking the
composite membranes into a 1.5N LiCl solution. The surface and cross-sectional morphologies of the SSEBS actuators
were observed by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which revealed that the platinum layer up to 8µm was
deposited on the top and bottom surfaces of the SSEBS membrane. The electromechanical bending responses were
investigated under alternating current excitations with various driving frequencies and voltage amplitudes, which showed
high electrical strains under sinusoidal signal. The effect of the membrane thickness on the performance of the actuators
was also addressed in this presentation. This kind of IPMC has great potentials for the applications in biomimetic sensors
and actuators, which can be utilized to mimic the locomotion of fish and insects and can be applied to micro-robots and
bio-medical devices as well.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.