Multiwalled-carbon nanotubes and polyaniline coating on electro-active paper for bending actuator

Abstract

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) and polyaniline are coated on an electro-active paper (EAPap) to improve the performance of the bending actuator, and its performance is tested. EAPap actuators made with cellulose paper have merits in terms of large bending displacement, ultra-lightweight, dryness, low actuation voltage and power consumption, low cost and biodegradability. However, the force output of actuators is small and the actuation frequency is low. Thus, MWNT and emeraldine salt polyaniline (PANI) are coated on the EAPap material to improve the force and the actuation frequency. The MWNT and PANI solution is made by sonication, and the sonication time and the weight per cents of the MWNT and PANI are optimized to improve the hybrid actuator performance. The optimum condition is associated with conversion of the partial conductive state PANI into the emeraldine formed PANI by the chemical bonding between the MWNT and PANI. The performance improvement of the EAPap actuator coated with MWNT/PANI is investigated in terms of displacement, blocking force and efficiency. In the presence of an electric field (0.35 V µm−1) on the hybrid EAPap actuator, 250% of the output force, 160% of the resonance frequency and 50% of efficiency are improved.