電気応答性導電性ポリマーによるソフトアクチュエータ

Abstract

Artificial muscles, also called softactuators, have been in great demand for use in human friendly robots, owing to simple structure, light weight, flexibility, and for ''quiet'' and complicated robotic motions. Various polymeric materials have been investigated for manufacturing softactuators, which are powered by electrical, light, thermal and chemical energy. In this review, the research trends of softactuators based on various electroactive polymers and in particular, polypyrrole (PPy), which is conducting polymer, have been briefly presented. Furthermore, recent results on the PPy actuators, i.e., electrochemical strain (actuation stroke) and creep under tensile stress have been reported. The electrochemical strain (eliminated creeping) was found to strictly depend on the number and bulkiness of the injected anions and to follow a non-linear trend under the tensile stress. The obtained results are interesting from the viewpoint of fundamental mechanics, i.e., relationship between electrochemical actuation and elasticity of the conducting polymer, PPy. The aim of this review is to introduce electroactive polymers-based softactuators to students and new researchers.