Vat-Based 3D Printable Electroactive Polymer (EAP) Actuators

Abstract

This thesis aimed to 3D print ionic electroactive polymer devices that shows controlled actuation using an electrical input. The 3D printing of these electroactive polymers (EAP) was achieved by developing and exploring a range of photocurable resins and their applicability in 3D printing systems. Ionic EAPs are a promising field of study that has recently shifted towards additive manufacturing with advances in 3D printing technologies. Several current ionic EAP additive manufacturing processes and reported applications are discussed in chapter 1. Chapter 1 explicitly reviews ionic EAPs, over their dielectric counterparts, for their potential applications as artificial muscles and the possibility of producing them through recent additive manufacturing developments. By exploring monomer, crosslinker and photoinitiator materials in chapters 2 and 3, new photocurable resins were prepared for 3D printing. An ionomeric organogel was 3D printed using vat-based techniques. These organogels were soft and flexible but were suitably durable for 3D printing and handling. The 3D printed devices showed good resolution and capacity for cation exchange with electrolyte solutions. In chapter 4, 3D printed devices were compared to conventional Nafion™-117 devices. 3D printing of these devices allowed for good resolution with various printed objects. Electrode surfaces were developed upon these devices by reducing silver nitrate using an electroless plating technique. Electrical actuation of the 3D printed ionic metal-polymer composite (IPMC) actuators showed tip displacements of up to 3 mm, over a 40 mm actuator length. The IMPCs showed good ion exchange capacities and electrochemical performance and were used to produce various actuator devices and prototypes.