Abstract
Composite stripe and zigzag actuators consisting of a sandwich polypyrrole (PPy)/polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF)/PPy structure were synthesized using potentiodynamic film growth on gold electrodes. The synthesis was done from an aqueous solution containing tetrabutylammonium perchlorate and pyrrole by polymerization at room temperature. The actuator displacement was modeled using finite element simulations. For depositing thin PPy films and thereby minimizing the response time, experimental optimization of the deposition conditions was performed. The number of current-potential (potentiodynamic) growth cycles and the thickness of the deposited PPy film were highly correlated in the initial stages of polymer film growth. The actuation response measurements indicate that the zigzag shaped actuators provide promising properties to develop artificial muscle.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 025001 |
Journal | Smart Materials and Structures |
Volume | 17 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 1 2008 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Signal Processing
- Civil and Structural Engineering
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
- Materials Science(all)
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Mechanics of Materials
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering