Research Trends of Soft Actuators based on Electroactive Polymers and Conducting Polymers

摘要

Artificialmuscles(orsoftactuators)basedonelectroactivepolymers(EAPs)areattractivepowersourcestodrivehuman-likerobotsinplaceofelectricalmotor,becausetheyarequiet,powerful,lightweightandcompact.AmongEAPsforsoftactuators,conductingpolymersaresuperiorinstrain,stress,deformationformanddrivingvoltagecomparedwiththeotherEAPs.Inthispaper,theresearchtrendsofEAPsandconductingpolymersarereviewedbyretrievalofthepapersandpatents.TheresearchactivityofEAPactuatorsshowedthemaximumaround2010andsomehowdecliningnowdays.Thereasonsforthereducingactivityarefoundtobepartlyduetoproblemsofconductingpolymeractuatorsforthepracticalapplication.Theuniquecharacteristicsofconductingpolymeractuatorsarementionedintermsofthebasicmechanismsofactuation,creeping,trainingeffectandshaperetentionunderhightensileloads.Theissuesandlimitationofconductingpolymersoftactuatorsarediscussed...