Abstract
Currently, a straightforward fabrication technique for the development of soft actuators to explore their potential in robotic applications using environmentally compatible raw materials represents an important challenge. A conventional conducting polymer, such as polypyrrole (PPy), shows promising conductivity for such applications. This study presents the synthesis of PPy/polyvinyl alcohol (PPy/PVA)-based ion exchange polymer films containing PEDOT:PSS/SWNT/IL electrodes that undergo conformational changes in response to the applied voltage. Four types of ionic polymer actuator films with different sizes of PPy nanoparticles were fabricated to investigate the size-dependent electromechanical actuation performance. The aim of this study is to design and develop a stable, flexible, and reliable film actuator for robotic applications. Scanning electron microscopy and transmittance electron microscopy were performed to observe the surface morphology and detailed structure of the fabricated actuator films. The current density and ionic conductivity are demonstrated by the cyclic voltammogram and linear sweep voltammogram, respectively. The enhanced values of the water uptake, ion exchange capacity and ionic conductivity of the PPy/PVA polymer composite films enhanced the electrical properties and the tip deflection performance as compared to those of the other reported expensive perfluorinated polymer-based membrane actuators. A two finger-based micro gripping device was also developed, in which both the fingers were made up of the O-PPy/PVA/EL-based ion exchange polymer films. This mechanically stable and flexible film actuator fabricated via a synergistic combination of PPy/PVA composition containing PEDOT:PSS/SWNT/IL electrode surfaces possesses a substantial potential as an actuator material for micro robotic applications.
Highlights
For the last two decades, devices, such as so actuators are sufficiently exible to permit the relaxation and contraction on command in a wide range of movement patterns, are expected to mimick the motility of biological systems
The size proscribed PPy nanoparticle-based ion exchange polymer membrane was synthesized on the basis of the complexes formed between the Fe3+ cations and the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in order to initiate the oxidative polymerization of the pyrrole monomers
With an increase in the concentration of the Fe3+ cations, tough electrostatic repulsion between the complex of PVA/Fe3+ cations might lead to less control and conformational change within the complex, which resulted in large PPy nanoparticles
Summary
For the last two decades, devices, such as so actuators are sufficiently exible to permit the relaxation and contraction on command in a wide range of movement patterns, are expected to mimick the motility of biological systems. The intrinsic characteristics of electro-active polymer (EAP)-based ionic polymer so actuators that offered the advantages of exibility, Paper under an external stimuli This leads to the displacement or deformation through bending.[26,27] Response to different stimuli, low power requirements and exibility make the conductive polymers (CPs) functional constituent materials for the development of so actuators.[28,29] Polypyrrole (PPy) is one such CP possessing high strain and stress and high electrochemo–mechanical activity, under assorted applied stimuli, that has been extensively studied for the development of the actuators as well as sensors.[30,31,32,33,34,35,36] the biocompatibility of PPy makes it an interesting choice for the biomedical applications.[37,38,39,40] PPy undergoes a rapid deformation or contraction due to the sorption or desorption of water vapors caused by the Joule heating, an effect induced under an applied voltage.[29,41] An enhanced displacement, bending angle and response time of the fabricated devices can be achieved by using ion exchange polymer membranes, bres or tubes[30,42] that can assist the ion diffusion in the PPy lms. The nanosize dimension effect mainly aids in a shorter ion diffusion length and in achieving a higher surface area.[71,72]
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