Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite Coated with Polyaniline Film by Electrodeposition: A Promising IPMC/PANI Junction for Applications in Robotics and Bioengineering

Ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMC) are typical electromechanical transducing materials suitable for use as soft actuators, bioinspired artificial muscles and sensors. However, IPMC produced with platinum films has the great disadvantage of large number cracks wrinkles, which reduce performance electrode. Polyaniline (PANI) is a promising conductive polymer that can address this issue, especially when it electropolymerized on surface. An IPMC/PANI actuator was developed by potentiostatic electropolymerization PANI at 0.9 V in 0.1 M 0.3 aniline solution. The characterization revealed preferentially film improve electronic conduction mechanisms, not reported so far. maximum tip displacement under 5 8.3 mm, while equal 5.2 mm. These results provide simple effective method to repair IPMCs enhance their performances.