Roles of metal layers and polymer matrix for inducing IPMC bending

Previously, it was reported that Ag-plated Semeion CMV exhibited a controllable bending by the induction of Ag layer redox reaction upon electric stimuli. In this study, Cu and Ni-plated Selemion CMVs were prepared and it was investigated if they could exhibit the controllable bending by the induction of redox reaction like Ag-plated Selemion CMV. The surface analysis by ESCA suggested that neither Cu nor Ni layers on Selemion CMVs exhibited the redox reaction upon electric stimuli, and in fact, the bending of both Cu nor Ni-plated Selemion CMVs was uncontrollable. Apart from the redox reaction, it was speculated that the formation uniform and thin metal layers were in need for the induction of precisely controllable bending.