Recent Advances on Polypyrrole Electroactuators

Abstract

Featuring controllable electrochemomechanical deformation and excellent biocompatibility, polypyrrole electroactuators used as artificial muscles play a vital role in the design of biomimetic robots and biomedical devices. In the past decade, tremendous efforts have been devoted to their optimization on electroactivity, electrochemical stability, and actuation speed, thereby gradually filling the gaps between desired capabilities and practical performances. This review summarizes recent advances on polypyrrole electroactuators, with particular emphases on novel counterions and conformation-reinforcing skeletons. Progress and challenges are comparatively demonstrated and critically analyzed, to enlighten future developments of advanced electroactuators based on polypyrrole and other conducting polymers.

Electro‐chemomechanical Contribution to Mechanical Actuation in Gd‐Doped Ceria Membranes

“…On this basis, we note that actuation is most likely achieved via an electrochemically driven phase transformation, rather than because of the change in stoichiometry of a single phase . This can be distinguished from the chemical expansion of ion‐conducting ceramics, or of polymers …”

S-Shaped Nonlinearity in Electrical Resistance of Electroactive Supercoiled Polymer Artificial Muscle

“…The actuation principle of the device is the contraction upon heating, and the device made from conductive sewing thread can be directly driven by electrical power. The electroactive supercoiled artificial muscle seems to be highly attractive compared to other electrically driven artificial muscles based on conducting polymer [6]- [8], ionic polymer-metal composite [9], [10] and dielectric elastomer [11], [12] in numerous key factors such as durability, power density, and cost.…”

Structure and dynamics of polypyrrole/chitosan nanocomposites

“…Among various conducting polymers, polypyrrole (PPy) is one of the most promising ones that has garnered great attention owing to its extraordinary properties such as ease of synthesis, environmental stability, and very good chemical, electrical, electrochemical and optical properties leading to numerous applications in a variety of industrial and electronic sectors . Also, good in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility, considerable conductivity under physiological conditions as well as antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of PPy make it favourable for use in biomedical applications including biosensors, drug delivery systems, and as a biomaterial in neural tissue engineering, neural probes, nerve guidance channels and blood conduits . Furthermore, nanostructured conducting PPy exhibits new improved properties related to the nanoscale size, such as electrical conductivity, larger surface area and superior electrochemical activity, which make it suitable for different applications compared with the respective bulk .…”

“…[1][2][3][4][5] Also, good in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility, 6,7 considerable conductivity under physiological conditions 8 as well as antioxidant 9 and antimicrobial activity 10 of PPy make it favourable for use in biomedical applications including biosensors, drug delivery systems, and as a biomaterial in neural tissue engineering, neural probes, nerve guidance channels and blood conduits. 7,[11][12][13] Furthermore, nanostructured conducting PPy exhibits new improved properties related to the nanoscale size, such as electrical conductivity, larger surface area and superior electrochemical activity, which make it suitable for different applications compared with the respective bulk. 14 Apart from these outstanding features, the poor processability excludes neat PPy from being employed in a wide range of biological applications.…”