Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Electroactive
polymer solution
Ion conducting powder
mixed with electroactive
polymer solution
Powder
Drying
Electroactive
polymer solution
Ion conducting powder
with electroactive polymer
Ion conducting powder
mixed with electroactive
polymer solution
hermal
curing
FIGURE 3.59
An illustrative process diagram for the ion-conducting, powder-coated electrode
made by the solution recasting method. First, the ion-conducting powder (i.e., carbon, silver,
platinum, palladium, gold, copper, and any other conducting powders) is mixed with the elec-
troactive polymer solution (e.g., liquid Nafion). The powder is fine and uniformly dispersed within
the electroactive polymer solution. After a formation of a thin layer, the electroactive polymer
solution undergoes the drying process of solvents and therefore the residual consists of the ion-
conducting powder dispersed within the polymer. Second, the electroactive polymer solution
(without the powder) is added on top of the layer of the ion-conducting powder and dried. This
is repeated until the desired thickness is obtained. Later, a layer of the ion-conducting powder is
formed by the same method described previously. As a final step, the ion-conducting, powder-
coated electrode is cured under the elevated temperature. If necessary, the surface conductivity
can be enhanced by adding a thin layer of novel metal via electroplating or electroless plating.
In figure 3.61 (right) the measured displacement is presented against the force
(displacement vs. tip force = generative force). The useful meaning of this graph attributes
the possible maximum work output (= mechanical energy stored in the IPMNC beam,
δ
1
2
∫
max
U
m
=
)
Fds
δ
≅
δ
F
T
max
T
0
of the IPMNC, although more elaborate interpretations may be needed (i.e. by
simultaneous measurement of the tip velocity and displacement or curvature). In this
