BILAYER DIMENSIONS AND MOVEMENT IN ARTIFICIAL MUSCLES

A bilayer structure (polypyrrole/flexible and inactive polymer) was co nstructed. Reverse conformational changes promoted along polypyrrole c hains during electrochemically induced oxidation-reduction processes w ere transformed to macroscopic angular movement of the bilayer. The mo vement of devices having different areas or different thicknesses of p olypyrrole were quantified at different current densities. At all diff erent device dimensions the movement rate was a linear function of the applied current per milligram of polypyrrole. The consumed electrical charge per milligram of polypyrrole to deflect through a constant ang le was independent of the applied current density. At the same time th e consumed electrical energy per milligram of polypyrrole increases li nearly as a function of the applied current. Thus the movement rates, consumed charges and energies are not controlled by dimensions but by the masses of electroactive material. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.