title: Durable and water-floatable ionic polymer actuator with hydrophobic and asymmetrically laser-scribed reduced graphene oxide paper electrodes.
abstract: Ionic polymer actuators driven by electrical stimuli have been widely investigated for use in practical applications such as bioinspired robots, sensors, and biomedical devices. However, conventional ionic polymer-metal composite actuators have a serious drawback of poor durability under long-term actuation in open air, mainly because of the leakage of the inner electrolyte and hydrated cations through cracks in the metallic electrodes. Here, we developed a highly durable and water-floatable ionic polymer artificial muscle by employing hydrophobic and asymmetrically laser-scribed reduced graphene oxide paper electrodes (HLrGOP). The highly conductive, flexible, and cost-effective HLrGOP electrodes have asymmetrically smooth hydrophobic outer and rough inner surfaces, resulting in liquid-impermeable and water-floatable functionalities and strong bonding between an ionic polymer and the electrodes. More interestingly, the HLrGOP electrode, which has a unique functionality to prevent the leakage of the vaporized or liquid electrolyte and mobile ions during electrical stimuli, greatly contributes to an exceptionally durable ionic polymer-graphene composite actuator that is a prerequisite for practical applications in active biomedical devices, biomimetic robots, touch-feedback haptic systems, and flexible soft electronics.
authors.affiliation: Graphene Research Center, KAIST Institute for the NanoCentury, School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Systems Engineering, Division of Ocean Systems Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 335 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jaehwan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jin-Han
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Hyun-Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyuneui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Il-Kwon
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004566:Electrodes; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007834:Lasers; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry*; D010209:Paper; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013997:Time Factors; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D010087:Oxides; D011108:Polymers; D014867:Water; D006108:Graphite