Electroactive polymers (EAPs) are polymers that change either shape or size when an external voltage is passed through them and regain their original composition upon reversing the polarity of the voltage. EAPs have drawn attention due to their biomedical and human affinity applications because they have the ability to mimic muscle movements. There are several types of EAPs: electric, ionic, and molecular. The polymer electrolyte poly(ethylene oxide), -(CH2-CH2-O)n- was investigated for its use as an electroactive polymer. Lithium salts were dissolved in the polymer making the ion-conducting polymer. When a potential was applied, the ions moved to the contact electrodes which caused local swelling at the surfaces. This swelling caused the polymers to bend proving their electroactive nature. Techniques such as atomic force microscopy, ATR-FTIR and XRD. will be used to study this phenomenon. A discussion of the mechanism for ion conduction will be given.

Ion conducting polymer electrolytes as electroactive polymers

249th National Meeting (2015)

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