Computational Chemistry

Wise, Kristopher E.

doi:10.1117/3.547465.ch10

Book: Electroactive Polymer (EAP) Actuators as Artificial Muscles: Reality, Potential, and Challenges

Editor(s): Yoseph Bar-Cohen

Author(s): Kristopher Wise

Published: 2004

https://doi.org/10.1117/3.547465.ch10

Abstract

Enhancement of the capability of electroactive polymer (EAP) materials to induce large strain and stress can be accomplished by conventional enhancement techniques as well as through computational chemistry. Enhancing the load carrying capability of EAP materials can be obtained by increasing their stiffness with a minimum compromise of their displacement actuation. Such an enhancement requires taking into account the properties of the produced material and their compatibility with the operation conditions. Additional enhancement can be obtained by allowing for internal molecular realignment in response to Coulomb forces. Such improvement can be applicable to the electrostrictive polymers however obtaining improvement of other types of materials requires fundamental research at the molecular level as can be obtained by computational chemistry.