Artificial muscle using conducting polymers

Abstract

SUMMARYWe have investigated a method of preparing a largesize anisotropic polypyrrole (PPy) film using a slab vessel consisting of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) walls as well as its actuation abilities. The PPy film can be grown along one side of the PTFE walls and exhibits morphological anisotropy of the PPy packing density along the thickness direction. A piece bends in a regular direction (the surface in contact with the PTFE wall) and reverts during a redox cycle without the use of any additional processes such as lamination. The actuation properties of the anisotropic PPy actuator strongly depend on the size of the cation in the driving electrolyte, and the bending behavior of this actuator at room temperature becomes slower for larger cations. On investigating the temperature dependence of actuation properties, the arrival time of the actuator (the time required for the tip of the actuator to touch the electrolyte surface upon stepwise potential change) was found to become shorter in all electrolyte solutions with different electrolytes. This result can be understood in terms of the thermally activated microscopic movement of the PPy main chains. Such behavior based on electrochemical stimulus not only provides information related to ionic transfer and storage but also suggests that the anisotropic PPy film can be put to practical use as an electrochemical actuator for artificial muscle which directly converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.

Characterization of conducting poly(3‐methylthiophene) films prepared under sono‐electrochemical conditions

“…Thus, large size anisotropic poly (pyrrole) with actuation properties have been prepared on poly(tetra-fluoroethylene) walls. 7 The resulting polymer film could be used as an artificial muscle. Also, thin films of conducting polymeric materials were deposited on several substrates using an inductively coupled pulsed-plasma reactor.…”

Hydrogel Films on Optical Fiber Core: Properties, Challenges, and Prospects for Future Applications

“…The reversible shrinking and swelling of the polyelectrolyte gels stimulated by an electric field have become a basis for development of the so-called mechanochemical (chemomechanical) devices (engines) [62] functioning as actuators and artificial muscles [63][64][65] and drug delivery systems [66].…”

“…Polymer networks being capable of stimuli responsive volume changing and controllable mass transferring have been increasingly recognized as building blocks in microfluidic devices (sensors, actuators, fluid pumps, and valves) [67], scaffolds in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine [68][69][70], actuators in artificial muscle development [63][64][65], and targeted and controlled release elements in drug delivery systems [17], including iontophoresis [71]. Hydrogels are flexible and fragile and require mechanical support.…”

Poly(3-methylthiophene-co-3-octylthiophene) based solid-state photoelectrochemical device

“…As a result considerable research work has been aimed at harnessing solar energy. 4,2007 reasons such as development of easy ways of processing conjugated polymers, high absorption coefficients of these materials and the possibility of designing the electrodes through molecular engineering. Solar power conversion efficiencies as high as 5% have been reported from bulk heterojunction solar photovoltaic cells consisting of donor semiconducting polymers and acceptor fullerene derivatives.…”