Evaluation of basic operating characteristics of ion conductive polymer actuator using ionic liquid

Nafionreg-based ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs), whose counter ions are exchanged using ionic liquids, are fabricated. EMIBF₄, BMIBF₄, and BMIPF₆ are used as ionic liquids. During long-term (180 min.) operation in air, changes in curvature of IPMCs are about 10% of the initial one. This change is enough smaller than that of conventional IPMCs using metallic counter ion. The curvature is larger in IPMC having lower charge transfer resistance, which is evaluated measuring frequency dependent complex impedance of IPMC. Furthermore, charge transfer resistance of IPMC decreases with increase in environmental humidity.