Polyurethane-based Actuators with Various Polyols

Abstract

This study dealt with the electrostrictive responses of polyurethane (PU) actuators with different microphase separation structure, which was a promising candidate for a material used in polymer actuators. In order to construct PUs with different higher-order structure, PUs with various types of polyol were synthesized: poly(neopentyl glycol adipate) (PNAD), poly(tetramethylene glycol) (PTMG), and poly(dimethyl siloxnae) (PDMS). Synthesized PU was characterized by Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Thermal analysis and mechanical properties of PU films were carried out with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and UTM (universal testing machine), respectively. And PU actuator was formed in a type of monomorph, which was made by carbon black electrodes on the both surfaces of PU film by spin coating method. Actuation behavior was mainly influenced on microphase separation structure and mechanical property of PU. In result, PU actuator with PNAD, polyester urethane, had the largest field-induced displacement.