Measurement of Thickness and Elastic Properties of Electroactive Polymer Films Using Plate Wave Dispersion Data

Elec:troactive thin-film polymers a.re increa.sinp;ly beinp; used as sensors and actuators in aerospace structures [1,2]. They also have sip;nificant potential for applications in musc:le mechanisms and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). In these applications, polymer films of thickness varyinp; between 20 and :100 tLin are utilized. Actuation of these polymers is attributed to piezoelectric, electrostrictive or electrostatic effects. Recent investigations sup;p;est that polymers may produce striction which can be stronger than that eielivered by electroactive ceramics. Such response may be produced by polymers with isotac:tic:ity or syndiotac:tic:ity in their molecular Htructure, where tacticity is the position of a pendant polymer group with a stronp; clipole moment that is mounted on a backhone polymeric chain.