Investigation on electromechanical properties of a muscle-like linear actuator fabricated by bi-film ionic polymer metal composites

Abstract

Artificial muscles have attracted great attention for their potentials in intelligent robots, biomimetic devices, and micro-electromechanical system. However, there are many performance bottlenecks restricting the development of artificial muscles in engineering applications, e.g., the little blocking force and short working life. Focused on the larger requirements of the output force and the lack characteristics of the linear motion, an innovative muscle-like linear actuator based on two segmented IPMC strips was developed to imitate linear motion of artificial muscles. The structures of the segmented IPMC strip of muscle-like linear actuator were developed and the established mathematical model was to determine the appropriate segmented proportion as 1:2:1. The muscle-like linear actuator with two segmented IPMC strips assemble by two supporting link blocks was manufactured for the study of electromechanical properties. Electromechanical properties of muscle-like linear actuator under the different technological factors were obtained to experiment, and the corresponding changing rules of muscle-like linear actuators were presented to research. Results showed that factors of redistributed resistance and surface strain on both end-sides were two main reasons affecting the emergence of different electromechanical properties of muscle-like linear actuators.