DURABILITY STUDIES SHED LIGHT ON THE DESIGN OF NOVEL SELF-HEALING ARTIFICIAL MUSCLES BY EMPLOYING IONIC NETWORK POLYMERS

摘要

To improve the electro-mechanical performance of artificial muscles, a novel ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) actuator was developed by employing the ionic network membrane of poly (styrene-alt-maleimide) (PSMI)-incorporated poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF). In this study, more durability tests were conducted so as to elucidate the deterioration of the performance of such IPMC actuators. The results showed that the actuation performance of the actuator based on PSMI-incorporated PVDF was mostly recovered after ion exchange in 1.5 N lithium chloride solution for 1 h, but could not be recovered after immersion into deionized water for the same duration. Also, the fabricated IPMC actuator displayed much better electromechanical response in lithium chloride solutions of higher concentration. The durability test indicated that the leakage of mobile cations was the main reason for the function deterioration of the actuators of PSMI-incorporated PVDF. The study presented here may be instructive for the design and fabrication of diversified functional self-healing artificial muscles so as to materialize the action of natural muscles.