Electro-active polymer gels as artificial muscles

5 Electro-active polymer gels as artificial muscles 

To overcome difficulties in polyelectrolytes, such as electrochemical consumption on the electrodes, we investigated the electroactive properties of the non-ionic polymer gel. 

As pointed out in the previous section, polyelectrolyte gels have been investigated as electroactive actuator materials. The concept originates from the presence of electroactive ionic species in the gels. The ionic species can 

14 Bending deformation of a poly acrylonide-co-sodium acrylate) gel in aqueous solution. Bending direction is changed with sodium acrylate content in the gel. Acrylic acid content was controlled by hydrolysing poly(acrylonide) gel. The mechanism was explained with the results shown in Fig. 2.15. 

15 Electrically induced asymmetric deformation of a poly(acrylonide-co-sodium acrylate) gel. Sodium acrylate content is (a) low, and b) high. In (a) the gel shrinks on anode side, but swells in (b). 

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