Electrode effect on mechanical and thermal behavior

In this study, IPMCs with various electrodes (Pt, Au, and Pd) and Pt electroded IPMCs with ionic liquid were compared to study their mechanical characteristics [Park et al. (2007)]. Universal testing machine was used to test the samples in the tensile mode and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was used to test samples in the shear mode. Temperature scanning of DMA makes it possible to conveniently measure the accuracy of the glass transition temperature Tg. In order to confirm the thermal behavior results from DMA, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was also performed. SEM was used to investigate the electrode layer and deposited particles. 

The electrochemical plating method was used to fabricate IPMCs with different types of electrodes. The exact chemicals and reduction materials are shown in Table. 2.1. An Instron 5565 machine was used for the tensile testing (see Fig. 2.12 (a) for the setup). The fabricated IPMC samples were punched out using a dog-bone shaped punch mold. Its size followed ASTM 638 and 882, as shown in Fig. 2.12 (b). The tensile test was per- 

IPMC Starting materials type Reducing agent Treatment temperature °C Electrolyte medium 

14 Tensile modulus of Nation and various IPMC types in dried and hydrated conditions (H+ form). Reprinted from [Park et al. (2007)]. 

Au particles ( 10 nm) are smaller than the Pd particles ( 50 nm) and more densely deposited on the the Nafion polymer. This could explain the higher Young s modulus of Au based IPMCs. 

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