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Updated: Jan 10, 2026
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Fabrication of Carbon-Based Ionic Electromechanically Active Soft Actuators
Published on: April 25, 2020
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Nature-Inspired Janus Actuators with Structurally Engineered PEDOT:PSS
Hatef Yousefian1, Ali Akbar Isari1, Amin Babaei-Ghazvini2
1Nanomaterials and Polymer Nanocomposites Laboratory, School of Engineering, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|November 21, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed a novel poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) Janus actuator. This high-performance soft actuator achieves large bending deformation with low voltage and minimal heat, overcoming common delamination issues.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Soft Robotics
- Polymer Science
Background:
- Bilayer actuators, inspired by nature, offer programmable shape changes for soft robotics but suffer from delamination, high voltage, and heat.
- Existing poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) actuators face challenges in interfacial stability and performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a high-performance, stable bilayer actuator using PEDOT:PSS.
- To overcome interfacial delamination and improve electro-thermo-mechanical response in soft actuators.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a PEDOT:PSS Janus actuator using a novel dual treatment approach (solvent doping and acid post-treatment).
- Engineering a seamless interface between hydrophobic-treated conductive and hydrophilic untreated semiconductive layers.
- Characterization of conductivity contrast, bending deformation, and durability under various stimuli.
Main Results:
- Achieved a significant conductivity contrast (≈2000 S cm-1) between the Janus layers, eliminating delamination.
- Demonstrated large, reversible bending curvature (2.4 to 3.4 cm-1) at low operating voltages (2 to 6 V) with minimal heating (≈5 °C).
- Exhibited excellent durability over 2,400 actuation cycles.
Conclusions:
- The developed dual-treatment strategy enables a scalable and energy-efficient design for high-performance soft actuators.
- This PEDOT:PSS Janus actuator platform is promising for next-generation soft robotics, adaptive materials, and intelligent sensing systems.
- The seamless interface design effectively addresses delamination issues in bilayer actuators.
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