Electrically conductive polymer actuator, and method for manufacturing the same

A method of driving a bendable electrically conductive polymer actuator,

• the bendable electrically conductive polymer actuator comprising
• a pair of electrodes, and
• a laminate structure sandwiched between the pair of electrodes, wherein:
• the laminate structure comprises a solid electrolyte membrane constituted with a mixture of an ionic liquid and a first organic polymer comprising at least one or more of a vinylidene fluoride/hexafluoropropylene copolymer [P(VDF/HFP)], polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), a perfluorosulfonic acid/PTFE copolymer, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene oxide (PEO) and polyacrylonitrile (PAN);
• and an electrically conductive polymer membrane constituted with a mixture of polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) and polystyrene sulfonic acid (PSS), and formed on at least one face of the solid electrolyte membrane;
• a second organic polymer constituted with a vinylidene fluoride/hexafluoropropylene copolymer [P(VDF/HFP)] is embedded in the state being dispersed in the electrically conductive polymer membrane surface;
• and
• the solid electrolyte membrane is in contact with the electrically conductive polymer membrane surface in which the second organic polymer is embedded in the state being dispersed,
• the method of driving the bendable electrically conductive polymer actuator comprising the steps of:
• providing the bendable electrically conductive polymer actuator;
• and
• applying a voltage to the pair of electrodes.

A method for manufacturing a bendable electrically conductive polymer actuator comprising

• a pair of electrodes, and
• a laminate structure sandwiched between the pair of electrodes, wherein:
• the laminate structure comprises a solid electrolyte membrane constituted with a mixture of an ionic liquid and a first organic polymer comprising at least one or more of a vinylidene fluoride/hexafluoropropylene copolymer [P(VDF/HFP)], polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), a perfluorosulfonic acid/PTFE copolymer, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene oxide (PEO) and polyacrylonitrile (PAN);
• and an electrically conductive polymer membrane constituted with a mixture of polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) and polystyrene sulfonic acid (PSS), and formed on at least one face of the solid electrolyte membrane;
• the method for manufacturing a bendable electrically conductive polymer actuator comprising the steps of:
• applying an electrically conductive polymer dispersion liquid or solution on a substrate, and embedding a second organic polymer constituted with a vinylidene fluoride/hexafluoropropylene copolymer [P(VDF/HFP)] in the state being dispersed by means of spraying or application before the dispersion liquid or solution is dried to form a solid membrane;
• and
• allowing the at least one face of the solid electrolyte membrane to be opposed to the electrically conductive polymer membrane surface in which the second organic polymer is embedded in the state being dispersed, and to be laminated therewith.

A method for manufacturing a bendable electrically conductive polymer actuator comprising

• a pair of electrodes, and
• a laminate structure sandwiched between the pair of electrodes, wherein:
• the laminate structure comprises a solid electrolyte membrane constituted with a mixture of an ionic liquid and a first organic polymer comprising at least one or more of a vinylidene fluoride/hexafluoropropylene copolymer [P(VDF/HFP)], polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), a perfluorosulfonic acid/PTFE copolymer, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene oxide (PEO) and polyacrylonitrile (PAN);
• and an electrically conductive polymer membrane constituted with a mixture of polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) and polystyrene sulfonic acid (PSS), and formed on at least one face of the solid electrolyte membrane;
• the method for manufacturing a bendable electrically conductive polymer actuator comprising the steps of:
• embedding a second organic polymer in the electrically conductive polymer membrane surface in the state being dispersed, by allowing the second organic polymer comprising a vinylidene fluoride/hexafluoropropylene copolymer [P(VDF/HFP)] and having a specific gravity smaller than that of the electrically conductive polymer dispersion liquid or solution to be dispersed in the electrically conductive polymer dispersion liquid or solution beforehand;
• and
• allowing the at least one face of the solid electrolyte membrane to be opposed to the electrically conductive polymer membrane surface in which the second organic polymer is embedded in the state being dispersed, and to be laminated therewith.