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Gordon Wallace

2013

Actuators

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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Polypyrrole Stretchable Actuators, Wen Zheng, Gursel Alici, Phillip R. Clingan, Bridget Munro, Geoffrey M. Spinks, Julie R. Steele, Gordon G. Wallace Mar 2013

Polypyrrole Stretchable Actuators, Wen Zheng, Gursel Alici, Phillip R. Clingan, Bridget Munro, Geoffrey M. Spinks, Julie R. Steele, Gordon G. Wallace

Gordon Wallace

Here, we report a simple way to prepare stretchable polypyrrole (PPy)-based actuator materials that can be operated over a wide dynamic strain range and generate useable actuation displacements and pressures. The stretchable actuators were prepared as a laminated composite of PPy and a gold-coated roughened rubber sheet. By manipulating the corrugated surface of the rubber substrate, the stretchability of PPy was greatly improved. Gold-coated rubbers could be stretched to 30 percent without significant change in electrical resistance. The corrugated PPy/gold/rubber laminates successfully showed - 1 percents of actuation strain even when prestretched to 24 percent. The actuation strains were smaller …


Comparative Displacement Study Of Bilayer Actuators Comprising Of Conducting Polymers, Fabricated From Polypyrrole, Poly(3,4- Ethylenedioxythiophene) Or Poly(3,4-Propylenedioxythiophene), Babita Gaihre, Syed Ashraf, Geoffrey M. Spinks, Peter C. Innis, Gordon G. Wallace Mar 2013

Comparative Displacement Study Of Bilayer Actuators Comprising Of Conducting Polymers, Fabricated From Polypyrrole, Poly(3,4- Ethylenedioxythiophene) Or Poly(3,4-Propylenedioxythiophene), Babita Gaihre, Syed Ashraf, Geoffrey M. Spinks, Peter C. Innis, Gordon G. Wallace

Gordon Wallace

The stress gradient generated due to electrochemical oxidation/reduction of a conducting polymer in a bilayer actuator causes a bending movement. Here we report a comparative study of the displacement of bilayer actuators prepared using different conducting polymers. The effects of conducting polymers obtained from electrochemical or chemical synthesis route: different polymers (polypyrrole (PPy), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) PEDOT and poly(3,3-dihexyl-3-4-dihydro-2H-thieno[3,4b][1,4]-dioxepine [PProDOT(Hx) 2]); and different electrolytes (0.1 M lithium trifluromethanesulfonate/propylenecarbonate (LiTFSI/PC) and 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium trifluromethanesulfonate (EMITFSI)) on the displacement amplitude and displacement patterns of these actuators were investigated and compared. The results indicate that the bilayer actuator consisting of an electrochemically synthesized conducting polymer …