Fast low-voltage electroactive actuators using nanostructured polymer electrolytes

Electromechanical Modelling of Ionic Electroactive Polymer Actuators

Migration of ions under electric field is the phenomenon behind the mechanical deformation of ionic polymer actuators. This transport process is influenced by numerous factors depending on the physical, chemical and electrical properties of the material used [1]. Among them porosity and tortuosity are one of the main influencing factors that modifies ion channels and so the properties of the ma...

Low-mass muscle actuators using electroactive polymers (EAP)

NASA is seeking to reduce the mass, size, consumed power, and cost of the instrumentation used in its future missions. An important element of many instruments and devices is the actuation mechanism and electroactive polymers offer an effective alternative to current actuators. In this study, two families of electroactive polymer (EAP) materials were investigated, including bending ionomers and...

Ionic electroactive polymer actuators as active microfluidic mixers

On-chip sample processing is integral to the continued development of lab-on-a-chip devices for various applications. An active microfluidic mixer prototype is proposed using ionic electroactive polymer actuators (IEAPAs) as artificial cilia. A proof-of-concept experiment was performed in which the actuators were shown to produce localized flow pattern disruptions in the laminar flow regime. Su...

Electroactive Thermoplastic Dielectric Elastomers as a New Generation Polymer Actuators

Nonlinear Force Control of Dielectric Electroactive Polymer Actuators

Electroactive Polymers (EAPs) have a great potential to provide smart solutions to engineering problems in fields such as robotics, medical devices, power generation, actuators and sensors. This is because they yield some important characteristics that are advantageous over conventional types of actuators, like: lower weight, faster response, higher power density and quieter operation. Controll...