Considerations for Contractile Electroactive Materials and Actuators
Authors: Lenore Rasmussen, David Schramm, Lewis D. Meixler, Charles A. Gentile, George Ascione, Carl Tilson, and Kelsey Pagdon
Abstract:
Ras Labs produces electroactive polymer (EAP) based materials and actuators that bend, swell, ripple, and now contract (new development) with low electric input. In addition, Ras Labs produces EAP materials that quickly contract and expand, repeatedly, by reversing the polarity of the electric input. These recent developments are important attributes in the field of electroactivity because of the ability of contraction and contraction-expansion to produce biomimetric motion. The mechanism of contraction is not well understood. Radionuclide-labeled experiments were conducted to determine the mechanisms during contraction of these EAPs.
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Submitted to: EAPAD (Electroactive Polymer and Device) Conference, San Diego (March, 2010)
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Download PPPL-4491 (pdf 485 KB 9 pp)
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