A novel fabrication of ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMC) actuator with silver nano-powders

This article reports a novel approach of applying silver nano-powders to the fabrication of ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMC) actuator with good adhesion between the metal electrodes and polymer membrane without surface roughening pretreatment at low cost, high repeatability and short processing time. Micro-fabrication technologies are used for this IPMC actuator fabrication including the dissolving and casting of silver nano-particles (35 nm) in Nafion^® diluted solution, followed embossing, nontoxic electroless plating of silver, and microelectroforming of nickel. This IPMC actuator exhibits large deformation of bending curvature angle of more than 90° at lower driving voltage of 3 V. The frequency response of displacement with applied AC voltage of 2 V at 1 Hz results in a regular periodic deformations of the IPMC actuator. The elasticity modulus of the IPMC actuator can be reduced using an Ag-Nafion electrode for larger deformation than a pure Ag metal electrode. The electronic active polymer, IPMC, could be potentially used as the actuator of the active guide-wire, effective biomimetic sensor and artificial muscles.