Wirelessly driven electro-active paper actuator made with cellulose–polypyrrole–ionic liquidand dipole rectenna

Abstract

This paper reports a wirelessly driven electro-active paper actuator that consists of a dipolerectenna array, a power control circuit and two cellulose–polypyrrole–ionic liquid (CPIL)electro-active paper actuators. The CPIL nanocomposite actuator was fabricated byincorporating nanoscaled PPy onto cellulose by an in situ polymerization technique, whichwas followed by activation in a room temperature ionic liquid. The CPIL actuator showsits maximum bending displacement of 10 mm at an ambient humidity conditionwith 30 mW electrical power consumption. The CPIL actuator is very stable inits actuator performance. The dipole rectenna array receives microwaves andconverts them to dc power so as to wirelessly supply power to the actuators. Threeflexible dipole rectenna arrays are designed, manufactured and characterized. Therectenna array that has nine rectenna elements generates the maximum power of75 mW. This power was used to successfully activate the two CPIL actuatorsand the control circuit. Detailed fabrication and characterization of the CPILactuator and the dipole rectenna array as well as the control circuit are explained.