近年來,由於離子性聚合物金屬複合材料(ionic polymer-metal composites, IPMCs)具有大變形及低驅動電壓的特性,讓其在作為致動器的範疇中受到相當的注目。然而,因為離子性聚合物金屬複合材料驅動特性會受到該材料含水量多寡的影響,若於空氣中應用時,材料內的水分會隨時間散失,將會降低材料的致動性與反覆性。故本論文提出含水量對於離子性聚合物金屬複合材料驅動性能的影響。在兩小時交流電壓驅動測試下,伴隨材料含水量的減少,也同時量測離子性聚合物金屬複合材料的性能變化。經由不同初始含水量及不同電壓的測試,分析討論離子性聚合物金屬複合材料的驅動特性。而實驗結果顯示在含水量70%左右會有最大的變形量,且在不同的初始含水量下驅動,依初始含水量及驅動電壓不同,皆需要100到900秒不等的時間才能發揮較佳的性能。此外,我們發現電流的最大值與含水量之間有明顯的線性關係,當含水量下降時,電流的最大值會明顯上升。另一方面,本論文也透過靜電及應力分析提出力電水耦合的離子性聚合物金屬複合材料模型。
Recently, there has been growing interest in actuators by using ionic polymer- metal composites (IPMCs) due to their attractive properties including large deformation and low driving voltage. However, when IPMCs operate in the air, water evaporation causes the worse performance and low durability because the performance of IPMCs depends on the water contents. Hence, this article presents the effects of water contents on actuation performance of IPMCs. In our experiments, IPMCs are actuated by AC voltage under 2 hours. Because the water molecules in IPMCs evaporate into the air, the change of the actuation performance of IPMCs with decreasing water contents is investigated. Meanwhile, we further discuss the actuation mechanism of IPMCs under the different initial water contents with the different applied voltages. In our results, it was found that the largest deformation of IPMCs is obtained under the water contents of ~70%. The amplitude of IPMCs requires 100~900sec to reach the maximum of value under the different applied voltage and initial water contents. A linear relation between the peak value of current and the water contents is also presented. In addition, the hydrological-mechanical-electrical coupling model for deflection of IPMCs is also successfully investigated by electrostatic analysis and stress analysis.