Electroactive artificial muscle: nonionic polymer gels and elastomers

Toshihiro Hirai; Md. Zulhash Uddin; Jianming Zheng; Masashi Watanabe; Hirofusa Shirai

doi:10.1117/12.514549

14 October 2003 Electroactive artificial muscle: nonionic polymer gels and elastomers

Toshihiro Hirai, Md. Zulhash Uddin, Jianming Zheng, Masashi Watanabe, Hirofusa Shirai

Proceedings Volume 5062, Smart Materials, Structures, and Systems; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.514549
Event: Smart Materials, Structures, and Systems, 2002, Bangalore, India

Abstract

Non-ionic dielectric polymers have not been considered adequate for electroactive actuator materials because of their poor reaction to the electric field. As electroactive polymeric materials, the polyelectrolytes and conductive polymers have been investigated intensively, since they can show large deformation in aqueous media or in the presence of water as an additive. In this paper, the author will show the non-ionic polymeric materials can be used as electrically active materials. The electrically induced deformation phenomena that will be shown are contraction and relaxation, bending by solvent drag in the gel, crawling deformation, and "electrotactic" amoeba-like creep deformation. And the controlling factors of bending of elatomers. The materials that will be treated in this presentation covers from highly swollen dielectric gels through plasticized polymers to non-solvent type elastomers. Characteristics of the actuations are particularly large deformation or huge strain under much smaller energy dissipation compared to the conventional polyelectrolyte or conductive polymer actuators. Applications of the materials for pumping, valve, artificial pupil etc. will be demonstrated.

Citation Download Citation

Toshihiro Hirai, Md. Zulhash Uddin, Jianming Zheng, Masashi Watanabe, and Hirofusa Shirai "Electroactive artificial muscle: nonionic polymer gels and elastomers", Proc. SPIE 5062, Smart Materials, Structures, and Systems, (14 October 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.514549

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