In-plane strain capability of cellulose EAPap material

Abstract

Electro-Active Paper (EAPap) has been interested in due to its merits in terms of lightweight, dry condition, large displacement output, low actuation voltage, low power consumption and biodegradability. EAPap actuator has been made with cellulose material. Cellulose fibers are dissolved into a solution and extruded in a sheet form, and thin gold electrodes are made on it. This out-of-plane bending deformation is useful for achieving flapping wings, micro-insect robots, and smart wall papers. On the other hand, in-plane strains, such as extension and contraction of EAPap materials are also promising for artificial muscle applications since the Young's modulus of EAPap materials is large. Therefore, we intended to investigate the in-plane strain of EAPap materials in the presence of electric fields. The EAPap samples preparation and the in-plane strain measurement are explained. The test results are shown in terms of electric field, frequency and the orientation of the samples. The power consumption and the strain energy of EAPap samples are discussed. Although there are still unknown facts in EAPap materials, this in-plane strain may be useful for artificial muscle applications.