Free standing conducting polymer films based on polypyrrole doped with dodecylbenzoesulfate (PPyDBS) are investigated in TBACF3SO3 (tetrabutylammonium trifluoromethanesulfonate) propylene carbonate (PC-Tf) followed in aqueous TMACl tetramethylammonium chloride (Aq-TM) with the aim to investigate actuation properties (anion or cation-driven actuation). Under isometric (constant force) conditions ECMD (electro-chemo-mechanical deformation) measurements are performed during cyclic voltammetric and chronoamperometric experiments. Electrolyte and solvent effects revealing that the actuation direction in propylene carbonate electrolyte changed from expansion at anodic potential to expansion at cathodic potentials during square wave potential steps. Finally if the PPyDBS film immersed in aqueous electrolyte the anion-driven actuation properties are maintenance. SEM measurements are implemented to reefer changes in film morphology and ion content (EDX, energy dispersive X-Ray) before and after actuation.

Date Published: 1 April 2015
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 9430, Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) 2015, 94301C (1 April 2015); doi: 10.1117/12.2084195

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9430:
Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) 2015
Yoseph Bar-Cohen, Editor(s)