Poly(ethylene glycol) Diacrylate Based Electro-Active Ionic Elastomer

Macromol Rapid Commun. 2020 Mar;41(6):e1900636. doi: 10.1002/marc.201900636. Epub 2020 Feb 5.

Abstract

Preparation and low voltage induced bending (converse flexoelectricity) of crosslinked poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA), modified with thiosiloxane (TS) and ionic liquid (1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate) (IL) are reported. In between 2µm PEDOT:PSS electrodes at 1 V, it provides durable (95% retention under 5000 cycles) and relatively fast (2 s switching time) actuation with the second largest strain observed so far in ionic electro-active polymers (iEAPs). In between 40 nm gold electrodes under 8 V DC voltage, the film can be completely curled up (270° bending angle) with 6% strain that, to the best of the knowledge, is unpreceded among iEAPs. These results render great potential for the TS/PEGDA/IL based electro-active actuators for soft robotic applications.

Keywords: actuators; electro-active; ionic liquids; poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate; soft robotics.

MeSH terms

  • Borates / chemistry
  • Elastomers / chemical synthesis
  • Elastomers / chemistry*
  • Electrodes
  • Gold / chemistry
  • Imidazoles / chemistry
  • Ionic Liquids / chemistry
  • Ions / chemistry
  • Polyethylene Glycols / chemistry*
  • Robotics / instrumentation
  • Robotics / methods
  • Smart Materials / chemistry

Substances

  • 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium
  • Borates
  • Elastomers
  • Imidazoles
  • Ionic Liquids
  • Ions
  • Smart Materials
  • poly(ethylene glycol)diacrylate
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Gold