Fabrication and Mechano-sensing Characteristics of Bending Polypyrrole Actuator

Abstract

To prepare a conductive polymer actuator with decent performance, a self-built experimental platform for the preparation of polypyrrole film is employed. One of the essential goals is to examine the mechanical characteristics of the actuator in the presence of various combinations of process parameters, combined with the orthogonal test method of “four factors and three levels”. The bending and sensing characteristics of actuators of various sizes are methodically examined using a self-made bending polypyrrole actuator. The functional relationship between the bending displacement and the output voltage signal is established by studying the characteristics of the actuator sensor subjected to various degrees of bending. The experimental results reveal that the bending displacement of the actuator tip almost exhibits a linear variation as a function of length and width. When the voltage reaches 0.8 V, the bending speed of the actuator tends to be stable. Finally, the mechanical properties of the self-assembled polypyrrole actuator are verified by the design and fabrication of the microgripper.

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