Preparation and characterization of polypyrrole electroactive actuators

In this study, PPy/gold/mylar type electroactive bi-layer actuator was prepared by the electrochemical polymerization of pyrrole onto the gold/mylar film and the actuation characteristics were studied using bending beam method. Conducting polymer-based actuators undergo volumetric changes due to the movement of dopant ions into the film during the electrical oxidation process. The bilayer films exhibited different actuation characteristics depending on dopant ion size. It was observed that the relatively small dopant ion (i.e. toluene sulfonate) moved into the PPy film at oxidized state, so volume expanded to result in bending motion. In case of the film having large dopant ion (i.e. dodecylbenzenesulfonate), volume expansion was observed at reduced state. This is due to the incorporation of Na⁺ counterion with water molecules, while the large dopant ion was fixed in the film due to the limited mobility during the redox process.