SynonymsArtificial muscle; Electrically driven polymer; Electrically stimulated polymer; Electro-active polymer; Electro-driven polymer; Soft actuator Definition Electroresponsive polymers exhibit shape or volume changes in response to various electrical stimuli, capable of transducing an electrical energy into mechanical work, which can be applied to soft actuators or artificial muscles. The electroresponsive polymers are classified into currentresponsive polymers (ionic polymers and conductive polymers) and voltage-responsive polymers (dielectric gels and elastomers).
Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite (IPMC)Ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) is one of the current-responsive polymers developed by Oguro and Asaka utilizing a nafion membrane whose surfaces were chemically plated with gold or platinum [1] (Fig. 1). The IPMC bends toward the anode by applying an electric field, the mechanism of which is associated with the difference of swelling degree at both sides caused by an electrophoretic transport of protons carrying with water molecules. The IPMC actuators are flexible and suitable for downsizing capable of driving at low voltages (0.5~3 V), which provides medical applications such as micro-active catheters and guide wires. However, most of them operate in an electrolyte solution or in a swollen state. Asaka et al. have developed trilayer actuators utilizing a fluorinated polymer membrane containing ionic liquid as an active layer sandwiched between two bucky-gel layers consisting of single-walled carbon nanotubes dispersed in the ionic liquid as electrodes [2]. The bucky-gel actuator shows reversible bending more than 8,000 cycles at 30 Hz in air, which is associated with the electrophoretic polarization of ionic liquid in the active layer.
Conductive PolymersConductive polymers, such as polypyrrole, polythiophene, and polyaniline, show dimensional changes resulting from electrochemical doping, characterized by transportation of solvated ions between the interior of the polymer matrix and the surrounding electrolyte solution, electrostatic repulsion, and/or structural distortion through oxidation of p-conjugated polymers (Fig. 2) [3]. When the dopant ions are too large to dedope from the polymer matrix, the reduction of