Fluid interaction of segmented ionic polymer–metal composites under water

Abstract

The numerous possible applications of ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) as an underwater propulsor have led to the investigation of IPMC behaviour in an aqueous environment. This study compares the performance of an IPMC subjected to fluid drag forces to its performance without such forces. Both the form (i.e. pressure) drag and the viscous (i.e. skin friction) drag forces experienced by the IPMC due to the surrounding liquid are modelled. These forces are incorporated into a two-dimensional (2D) analytical model of a segmented IPMC. The model is based on small deflection and can be conveniently used. The maximum IPMC deflection for aqueous and non-aqueous environments is compared, both analytically and experimentally. Using video-capturing techniques, the deflection of the IPMC, both in air and in water, is investigated. The experimental results are used in order to better understand the performance of an IPMC in water. A large-deflection model for the segmented IPMC is also proposed.

Nonuniformly Charged Ionic Polymer–Metal Composite Actuators: Electromechanical Modeling and Experimental Validation

“…Their modeling is a classical mechanic approach and does not incorporate any physical electromechanic phenomena occurring in the IPMC. Kim et al [21] and Dogruer et al [22] developed an analytical 0278-0046/$26.00 © 2011 IEEE model of a segmented IPMC. However, the model proposed in this paper is more general since it can be applied to a segmented and a nonsegmented IPMC, even with large Nafion areas.…”

Ionic electroactive polymer metal composites: Fabricating, modeling, and applications of postsilicon smart devices

“…167 and validated experimentally while for a state space mathematical model of a segmented IPMC actuator, taking into account electrical, mechanical and hydrodynamics effects, one can refer to Ref. 168 for its computation and validation by means of an experimental larval zebra fish robot.…”

Validation of IP²C devices as touch sensors

“…2) Frequency effects: In this case, again under a constant input voltage supply, with the amplitude raised to 5V to improve the signal/noise ratio, the output voltage has been analyzed performing Digital Fourier Transform (DFT) over 5s time length intervals shifting from [4,9]s to [14,19]s in order to consider the variations around the pressure action during the compression phase. Being the time interval length T = 5s and having the data used for the Fourier analysis a sampling time T s = 0.1s, each DFT has been computed starting from 50 samples and the discrete samples in the frequency domain correspond to values of frequency f i = i * 0.2Hz, i = 0, .…”

“…Detailed description of the structure of IPMCs as well as the phisical background and their working principles can be found in several works in literature. Among them, some relevant aspects are addressed in [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10].…”