THE ELECTROPOLYMERIZATION OF CONDUCTIVE POLYMER FIBERS FOR BIOMIMETIC ACTUATORS

摘要

Recently there has been much research work concerning actuators and artificial muscles using conductive polymers such as polypyrrole and polythiophene. These materials are useful for a new power source of micro devices such as micro motors, micro pumps, and micro catheters. In this work, in order to give the materials multidirectional motion and high workability, polypyrrole fibers were prepared by electropolymerization using a carbon fiber or a metal fiber as a working electrode. The relationship between polymerization condition and the diameter, the surface structure, the conductivity, and the actuation behavior of the polypyrrole fiber were investigated. In this paper, the information about the polypyrrole fibers synthesized by electropolymerization using a gold fiber as a working electrode is shown.