• Composites Research
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.247-264
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• 2024

Recent advances in electro-active polymer (EAP) actuators, owing to their flexibility, lightweight, and simple fabrication process, have showcased their high utility across various fields such as soft robotics, biomimetics, wearable devices, and haptic technologies. Moreover, EAP actuators are evolving into smart devices with new functions and characteristics through the integration of functional materials and innovative technologies. This paper categorizes EAPs into ionic EAPs and electronic EAPs. Ionic EAPs include, most notably, ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) and conducting polymers (CPs), while electronic EAPs encompass dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs), ferroelectric polymer actuators, and the recently introduced hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic (HASEL) actuators. Detailed explanations based on the latest research are provided concerning the mechanism, structure, performance improvement strategies, methods for adding functionality, and application areas for each type of actuator.

• Ceramist
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.16-26
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• 2020

Recently, polymer-metal composite (IPMC)-based ionic artificial muscle has been drawing a huge attention for its excellent soft actuator performance having outstanding soft actuator performance with efficient conversion of electrical energy to mechanical energy under low working voltage. In addition, light, flexible and soft nature of IPMC and high bending strain response enabled development of versatile sensor application in association with soft actuator. In this paper, current issues of IPMC were discussed including standardizing preparation steps, relaxation under DC bias, inhibiting solvent evaporation, and improving poor output force. Solutions for these drawbacks of IPMC have recently been suggested in recent studies. After following explanation of the IPMC working mechanism, we investigate the main factors that affect the operating performance of the IPMC. Then, we reviewed the optimized IPMC actuator fabrication conditions especially for the preparation process, additive selection for a thicker membrane, water content, solvent substitutes, encapsulation, etc. Lastly, we considered the pros and cons of IPMCs for sensor application in a theoretical and experimental point of view. The strategies discussed in this paper to overcome such deficiencies of IPMCs are highly expected to provide a scope for IPMC utilization in soft robotics application.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2011.06a
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• pp.287-288
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• 2011

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.195-200
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• 2003

Alginate is a natural ionic polymer including numerous anionic groups and can be actuated by the ionic group under the electric field. The crosslinked alginate films were fabricated with CaCl$_2$. The thermal, mechanical and electroresponse properties of the films were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis, tensile and bending tests. The initial degradation and tensile strength increased according to the degree of crosslinking. Also, the swelling ratio of the films increased with decreasing degree of crosslinking and increasing pH due to free volume and electrostatic repulsion. The films actuated by an electric stimulus exhibited gentle and flexible action like a pendulum. In the electric field, the electric stimuli such as the applied voltage, ionic strength and kind of electrolyte solution had an effect on the electroresponse of the films. Alginate films with 5 wt% crosslinking agent showed the highest bending angle and reversible bending behavior. When the ionic strength of NaCl and KCl electrolyte solution was 0.1 M, the films showed the highest electroresponse. The bending behavior of the films increased with the applied voltage.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.434-439
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• 2012

To improve the performance of ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) actuators, Nafion films sandwiched with Nafion/conducting nanoparticulate electrospun webs were used as polymer electrolytes of IPMC. Multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) and silver were the conducting nanoparticulates and the nanoparticles dispersed in a Nafion solution were electrospun. IPMCs with the Nafion/conducting nanoparticulate electrospun webs displayed improved displacements, response rates, and blocking forces. MWNT was superior to silver in terms of displacement and blocking force, and the webs without the conducting fillers also caused enhanced performances compared with the conventional IPMCs. These improvements were attributed to an elevated electrolyte flux through highly porous interlayers and capacitance induced by well dispersed conducting fillers, and low interfacial resistance between electrolyte and electrodes.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.369-375
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• 2010

The two-dimensional finite element formulation for the basic field equations governing electrochemical responses of ionic conducting polymer-metal composite(IPMC) actuators is proposed in the present study. Biaxial deformation of a platinum plated Nafion actuator having 4 electrodes is dominated by electro-osmosis of hydrated ions and self-diffusion of free water molecules. Some numerical studies for IPMC actuators with electric field are carried out in order to show the validity of the proposed formulation and electric field analysis for the initial condition of total charge distribution are conducted using commercial code ANSYS/Emag.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2009.04a
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• pp.355-356
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• 2009

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2009.04a
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• pp.610-611
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• 2009

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.316-317
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• 2009

The ion-exchange membrane, Nafion, remains as the benchmark for a majority of research and development in IPMC technology. In this research, we employed a novel ionomer named by sulfonated poly(styrene-ran-ethylene) (SPSE) that is crosslinked by UV irradiation. The sulfonic acid groups were stable during the UV irradiation crosslinking process. Water uptake, ion exchange capacity, and proton conductivity are characterized for both pure SPSE and crosslinked SPSE membrane. The bending responses of SPSE actuators under both direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) excitations were investigated. The voltage-current behaviors of the actuators under AC excitations are also measured. Results showed the crosslinked SPSE actuators have better electromechanical performance than that of pure SPSE actuator with regard to tip displacement as a novel smart material.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.356-359
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• 2005

Ionic-polymer-metal-composite(IPMC), one of new actuation materials of electroactive polymers plated with noble metallic electrodes is known for the fast bending upon electric field. The IPMC strip bends towards anode under electrical field. It has many merits of low driving voltage, quick responsiveness, high durability, possibility of miniaturizability. In this paper, we studied for developing the large deflection of IPMC according several fabricating parameters. We measured the large deflection by the different process of sandpaper and sandblasting in surface treatment, the initial compositing process and the surface electroding process, and the different counter ions in ion exchanging process. In fundamental, the displacement of IPMC strip depends on voltage magnitude and applied signal frequency and its maximum deformation is observed at a critical frequency, resonant frequency.