Applications of Electrolytic Expansion

The fundamentals of electrolytic expansion in polyaniline films have been discussed. Ion insertion and exclusion by electrolytic oxidation and reduction are the primary mechanisms. However, it is also evident that the changes in molecular conformations, arising due to the delocalisation of 7t-electrons and the electrostatic repulsion between the polycations, are other mechanisms operating in a conducting polymer microactuator. By investigating the molecular structure and the higher order structure to optimise the electrolytic expansion, it should be possible to improve the expansion ratio and the force for practical usage. 

Kawami and H. Takenaka, Journal of Micromachine Society, 1992, 5,1,27. 

Humphrey and A.G. MacDiarmid, Journal of the Chemical Society, Faraday Transactions, 1986, 82, 2385. 

Kaneto, M. Kaneko and W. Yakashima, Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 1995, 34, 7A, L837. 

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