Improved performance of an activated multi-walled carbon nanotube polymer actuator, compared with a single-walled carbon nanotube polymer actuator

Actuators were developed using activated multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)–ionic liquid (IL) gel electrodes, and were compared with non-activated MWCNT- and single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)-based actuators, in terms of their electrochemical and electromechanical properties. Furthermore, the effects of variations in the IL on the electrochemical and electromechanical properties of the activated MWCNT–NH2/IL gel electrode actuators were investigated. The performance of the activated MWCNT–NH2 polymer actuator surpassed that of the SWCNT actuator, in terms of the strain and maximum generated stress. For the MWCNT–NH2 actuators, the strain and maximum generated stress were dependent on the IL species.