New ionic polymer-metal composite actuators based on PVDF/PSSA/PVP polymer blend membrane

Ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) actuators that display continuously large actuation displacements without back relaxation and with large blocking force at low direct current (DC) voltages are used as biomimetic sensors, actuators and biomedical devices. This article reports the preparation and actuation performance of new IPMC actuators based on the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/polystyrene sulfonic acid (PSSA)/polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) polymer blend membrane, which requires low voltage DC. The performance results of the proposed IPMC actuators are compared with Nafion-based IPMC actuators. In the blend membrane, PVDF is the hydrophobic polymer, PSSA is the polyelectrolyte, and PVP is the hydrophilic basic polymer. The proposed IPMC actuators based on the PVDF/PSSA/PVP blend membrane of polymer mixture ratios of 60/15/25 and 50/25/25 gave higher actuation displacement and higher blocking force at low DC voltages than the Nafion-based IPMC actuator. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2011.