Electroactive cellophane actuators: ionic or piezoelectric?

Abstract

In this paper, we present a standard irreversible thermodynamic model to describe the working principle of electroactive cellophane bending actuators. Based upon the fact that cellophane possesses a number of important properties of interest including ion-exchange capability, high water absorptivity, and good permeability, under an imposed electric field across the bender the ions and conjugated solvent will create a redistribution of them within the cellophane matrix and lead to effective strain in the bender geometry. The results are compared against the available data in terms of tip displacement. Also, the effect of electrode-thickness is investigated. The present study focuses on a phenomenological description of cellulophane actuators although a piezoelectric model is not included. A study is currently under way to experimentally verify if the working principle of electroactive cellophane actuators is ionic or piezoelectric.