Investigations on Actuation Critical Response Voltage for IPMC Based on Modified EVOH lonomer

Abstract

A novel ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC), based on EVOH-SPEG ionomer synthesized by sulfonilication of poly (ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) (EVOH) grafted 2-(2-chloroethoxy) ethanol (C₄H₉O₂Cl) or 2-[2-(2-chloroethxy) ethoxyl ethanol (C₆H₁₃O₃Cl) with 1, 3-propane sultone, has been prepared through electroless deposition of platinum on the bare polymer film. Based upon linear irreversible thermodynamics and cantilever beam model, the theoretical formula of IPMC actuation critical response voltage (U_C) was set up. And the U_C of IPMC based on different side chain length EVOH-SPEG were calculated with the intercept method and the theoretical formula, with the help of the IPMC tip force (F_T) experiment. The calculated U_C value was accordance with the influence of polymer structure and ionic conductivity on IPMC actuation critical response voltage, and there is a deviation between the U_Cobtained with intercept method and calculated by theoretical formula. As the theoretical principle, the U_C theoretical formula could be used for analyzing the influence of polymer intrinsic characteristic on the actuation of IPMC material.