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Fabrication of Carbon-Based Ionic Electromechanically Active Soft Actuators
Published on: April 25, 2020
Driving mechanisms of ionic polymer actuators having electric double layer capacitor structures.
Satoru Imaizumi1, Yuichi Kato, Hisashi Kokubo
1Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Yokohama National University , 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B
|April 12, 2012
Summary
Two novel solid polymer electrolytes were developed for ionic polymer actuators. Differences in ion transport properties, revealed by NMR, explained actuator behavior and enabled a predictive model.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Polymer Science
Background:
- Solid polymer electrolytes are crucial for advanced actuators.
- Understanding ion transport is key to optimizing actuator performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prepare and characterize two solid polymer electrolytes for ionic polymer actuators.
- To investigate the ionic transport mechanisms within these electrolytes using PGSE NMR.
- To develop a model explaining actuator behavior based on ionic transport properties.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of polyether-segmented polyurethaneurea (PEUU) electrolytes with Li[NTf2] or [C2mim][NTf2].
- Utilized pulsed-field gradient spin-echo (PGSE) NMR to determine diffusion coefficients and transference numbers.
- Fabricated solid-state electric-double-layer-capacitor (EDLC) actuators using carbon materials.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in ionic transport were observed between the Li[NTf2] and [C2mim][NTf2] electrolytes.
- Anion mobility dominated in the Li[NTf2] system, while cation mobility was higher in the [C2mim][NTf2] system.
- A model correlating actuator behavior with transference numbers and ionic volumes successfully predicted experimental observations.
Conclusions:
- Ionic transport properties significantly influence ionic polymer actuator performance.
- The proposed model effectively explains actuator behavior based on fundamental ionic transport parameters.
- These findings pave the way for designing more efficient ionic polymer actuators.
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