Response function of polymer electrolyte actuators

It is well-known that polymer electrolytes plated with metal (ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC)) can be activated by low voltage , c.a., 1V. The response is fast and its lifetime is quite long. Hence, the IPMC is one of the candidate for soft actuator of various robotic systems. In this paper, the response function based on the physico-chemical properties of the polymer electrolytes and metals is developed and is applied to that under the application of the step voltage. The electrochemomechanical experiments of the Nafion/sup RTM/ 117/gold composite are carried out and their results are compared with the simulation results which are calculated from the response function.