STUDY OF FAST ION TRANSPORT OF IONIC LIQUIDS IN SELF-ASSEMBLY LAYER- BY-LAYER ELECTRODES FOR IONIC POLYMER ACTUATORS AND ULTRACAPACITORS

摘要

In a recent study, we identified that the key factor in limiting the ionic polymer conductor network composite (IPCNC) actuators speed and efficiency is the very low ion transport speed in the conductor network composite (CNC) electrodes. In contrast to neat ionomers in which the actuation speed is proportional to 1/d where d is the ionomer layer thickness, the IPCNC actuator speed is proportional to 1/d_e~n, where d_e is the thickness of CNC electrode and n ≥2. In order to reduce d_e which raises the actuator speed while maintaining a large actuation, we investigate a new type of CNC for IPCNC actuators, in which the CNC is fabricated by a self-assembled layer-by-layer nanocomposites. The thinness of the CNC electrode layer (～ 0.4 μm) and large strain (～ 7%) of this type of IPCNC actuator result in a high bending actuation speed (～ 0.1 s) with high bending actuation. The application of ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate improves ion conductivity (6×10~(-4) S/cm) and device reliability.