Electroactive polymer manufacturing
AssigneeSRI International
InventorsRonald E. Pelrine, Roy D. Kornbluh, Qibing Pei, Seajin Oh, Jose P. Joseph
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Abstract
Described herein are transducers and their fabrication. The transducers convert between mechanical and electrical energy. Some transducers of the present invention include a pre-strained polymer. The pre-strain improves the conversion between electrical and mechanical energy. The present invention provides methods for fabricating electromechanical devices including one or more electroactive polymers.
Claims20
A method of fabricating a device comprising an electroactive polymer and multiple electrodes, the method comprising:
- mechanically stretching a polymer to form a pre-strained electroactive polymer, wherein the pre-strained electroactive polymer has an elastic modulus below 100 MPa;
- fixing a first portion of the pre-strained electroactive polymer to a solid member;
- forming a first electrode on a portion of a first surface of the pre-strained electroactive polymer;
- and
- forming a second electrode on a portion of a second surface of the pre-strained electroactive polymer.
A method of fabricating a device comprising an electroactive polymer and multiple electrodes, the method comprising:
- mechanically stretching a polymer to form a pre-strained electroactive polymer, wherein the pre-strained electroactive polymer has an elastic modulus below 100 MPa;
- fixing a portion of the pre-strained electroactive polymer to a solid member;
- spraying an electrode solution onto a first surface of the electroactive polymer using a first mask that defines a pattern for a first electrode on the first surface of the electroactive polymer;
- and
- spraying the electrode solution onto a second surface of the electroactive polymer using a second mask that defines a pattern for a second electrode on the second surface of the electroactive polymer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.