A theoretical and experiment study for self-oscillatory ionic polymer–metal compositeactuators**This work is based on work first presented at the conference Smart Structures andMaterials 2006 (San Diego, CA, 27 February–2 March 2006).

Abstract

In our previous work (Kim and Kim 2007 Sensors and Actuators A 137 129; Kimet al 2007 Appl. Phys. Lett. 90 184104) we have reported a novel approach toelectrochemically driven ionic polymer–metal composites (IPMCs) that exhibits theirself-oscillatory deformation in a cantilever bender configuration. When a constantcurrent was imposed on IPMCs, under certain conditions IPMCs exhibit periodicdeformation. In order to better understand such an electro-chemo-mechanical behavior ofIPMCs—particularly for self-oscillation—we have developed a multi-physics-basedmathematical model, which accounts for electrochemical and electromechanical phenomena,along with surface chemistry, simultaneously. A model study was performed topredict the kinetically driven potential oscillations for electrochemical oxidation offormaldehyde on the Pt-IPMC surface. The physical phenomena of the studied systemare described in coupled differential equations. In addition, experiments wereconducted to acquire important model parameters. The proposed model wasimplemented in a MATLAB (http://www.mathworks.com/) platform. Seemingly, themodel accurately predicts the self-oscillating and non-linear behavior of IPMCs.