Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Sample #1
(Pt)
Sample #2
(Ag/Pt)
Sample #3
(Cu/Pt)
(a)
1.5
1.4
1.3
1.2
1.1
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
Sample #1
(Pt)
Sample #2
(Ag/Pt)
Sample #3
(Cu/Pt)
(b)
FIGURE 3.51
The measured surface resistance of the samples prepared in this study (a) and
the ratio of the measured maximum force of samples 2 and 3 relative to sample 1. The effective
length,
l
eff
, was set at 20 mm for all samples.
IPMNC artificial muscle becomes more active with reduced surface electrode resis-
tance which is attributed to enhanced current passages, as can be seen in a current
versus time curve (fig. 3.52).
3.3.8
A
N
E
CONOMICAL
A
PPROACH
—P
HYSICAL
M
ETAL
L
OADING
A novel fabrication process of manufacturing IPMNCs equipped with physically
loaded electrodes as biomimetic sensors, actuators, and artificial muscles that can
be manufactured at about one tenth of the typical cost has been developed. The
underlying principle of processing this novel IPMNC is first to load a conductive
primary powder layer physically into the ionic polymer network forming a dispersed
particulate layer. This primary layer functions as a major conductive medium in the
composite. Subsequently, this primary layer of dispersed particles of a conductive
material is further secured within the polymer network with smaller secondary
