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28 March 2011Carbon aerogel based electrode material for EAP actuators
In this work we report an actuator material, that consist of carbon aerogel, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium
tetrafluoroborate (EMIBF4) and poly(vinylidene-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF(HFP)). Actuators were made by using
layer-by-layer casting method and they work as a bending actuators. Carbon aerogel is synthesized from 5-
methylresorcinol, which is a waste product in oil-shale industry. It makes the material "environmentally green". Carbon
aerogels have a very low density and considerable specific surface area. It is generally understood that the large
interfacial surface area of electrodes gives rise to better actuation performance; therefore, designing actuators with high
specific surface area electrodes is of interest. The assembled three layer actuators require low voltage to operate and
work steadily in open air due to non-volatile electrolyte. The electromechanical and electrical characteristics of prepared
actuators were examined and compared to our previously reported actuators based on the carbide-derived carbon and
activated carbon electrodes. The differences in actuation performance were analyzed in the context of pore
characteristics and degree of graphitization of carbons. The gas sorption measurements were performed to characterize
pore size distribution. These actuators show high strain, low back-relaxation and low power consumption and they are
good for slow-response applications compared to carbon nanotube actuators.
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Friedrich Kaasik, Janno Torop, Anna-Liisa Peikolainen, Mihkel Koel, Alvo Aabloo, "Carbon aerogel based electrode material for EAP actuators," Proc. SPIE 7976, Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) 2011, 79760O (28 March 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.880607