A novel fabrication of ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMC) actuator with silver nano-powders

This article reports a novel approach of applying silver nanopowders to the fabrication of an ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMC) actuator with good adhesion between the electrodes and membrane without surface roughening pretreatment at low cost, high repeatability and short process time. Microfabrication technologies are used for this IPMC actuator fabrication including the dissolving and casting of silver nanoparticles (35 nm) in Nafion diluted solution followed embossing, nontoxic electroless plating of silver, and microelectroforming of nickel. This IPMC actuator exhibits large deformation of bending curvature angle more than 90° at lower driving voltage of 3 V. The electronic active polymer, IPMC, could be potentially used as the actuator of the active guide-wire, effective biomimetic sensor and artificial muscles.