Electrically induced creeping and bending deformation of plasticized poly(vinyl chloride)

We have successfully actuated a non-ionic poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) gel by applying a de electric field, and found a localized creeping deformation, which induced a novel type large bending of the gel rod just like a joint i n a body. The gel was composed of PVC and dioctylphthalate (DOP), and was f ree of electrolytes. We proposed a tentative mechanism for the reversible a nd remarkable deformation. It could be an advantage over conventional elect roactive gels for durability and performance in practical applications as a new class of soft functional materials.