• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.434-439
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• 2012

To improve the performance of ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) actuators, Nafion films sandwiched with Nafion/conducting nanoparticulate electrospun webs were used as polymer electrolytes of IPMC. Multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) and silver were the conducting nanoparticulates and the nanoparticles dispersed in a Nafion solution were electrospun. IPMCs with the Nafion/conducting nanoparticulate electrospun webs displayed improved displacements, response rates, and blocking forces. MWNT was superior to silver in terms of displacement and blocking force, and the webs without the conducting fillers also caused enhanced performances compared with the conventional IPMCs. These improvements were attributed to an elevated electrolyte flux through highly porous interlayers and capacitance induced by well dispersed conducting fillers, and low interfacial resistance between electrolyte and electrodes.

• Composites Research
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.289-294
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• 2013

A thinner is used to improve the multi-walled carbon nano-tube (CNT) and carbon black (CB) dispersion in a polymer matrix and to make a soft electrode. The electrical and mechanical properties of the soft electrodes are investigated as functions of CNT, CB and thinner content. The optimal mixing condition for the electrode is thinner 80, CNT 3.5, CB 18 (phr) on the basis of matrix (KE-12). The specific resistance of that is 73 (${\Omega}{\cdot}cm$), and tensile strength, tensile modulus, and elongation of that is 0.45 MPa, 0.21 MPa, and 184%, respectively. Also, a simple structure of the actuator with an optimized electrode and elastomer is fabricated and its characteristic is evaluated. At the operating voltage 25 kV, the displacement of an elastomer KE-12 is 2.24 mm, and that of an elastomer KE-12 with thinner 50 (phr) is 4.05 mm. It shows a higher displacement compared to that of 3M 4910 which has similar modulus. The actuator made with elastomer and electrode of the same material (KE-12) may have advantages for fatigue life and application.