Intelligent Materials and Systems Lab, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
Institute of Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
PLoS One. 2020 May 11;15(5):e0232851. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232851. eCollection 2020.
Here we present the synthesis and characterization of two new conducting materials having a high electro-chemo-mechanical activity for possible applications as artificial muscles or soft smart actuators in biomimetic structures. Glucose-gelatin nanofiber scaffolds (CFS) were coated with polypyrrole (PPy) first by chemical polymerization followed by electrochemical polymerization doped with dodecylbenzensulfonate (DBS-) forming CFS-PPy/DBS films, or with trifluoromethanesulfonate (CF3SO3-, TF) giving CFS-PPy/TF films. The composition, electronic and ionic conductivity of the materials were determined using different techniques. The electro-chemo-mechanical characterization of the films was carried out by cyclic voltammetry and square wave potential steps in bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide lithium solutions of propylene carbonate (LiTFSI-PC). Linear actuation of the CFS-PPy/DBS material exhibited 20% of strain variation with a stress of 0.14 MPa, rather similar to skeletal muscles. After 1000 cycles, the creeping effect was as low as 0,2% having a good long-term stability showing a strain variation per cycle of -1.8% (after 1000 cycles). Those material properties are excellent for future technological applications as artificial muscles, batteries, smart membranes, and so on.
在这里，我们展示了两种具有高电-化学-机械活性的新型导电材料的合成与表征，这些材料可能作为人工肌肉或仿生结构中的软智能执行器应用。葡萄糖-明胶纳米纤维支架（CFS）首先通过化学聚合进行聚吡咯（PPy）涂层，然后通过电化学聚合掺杂十二烷基苯磺酸盐（DBS-）形成 CFS-PPy/DBS 薄膜，或者掺杂三氟甲磺酸根（CF3SO3-，TF）形成 CFS-PPy/TF 薄膜。使用不同的技术确定了材料的组成、电子和离子电导率。通过在碳酸丙烯酯（LiTFSI-PC）的双（三氟甲烷）磺酰亚胺锂溶液中进行循环伏安法和方波电位阶跃对薄膜进行电-化学-机械表征。CFS-PPy/DBS 材料的线性致动表现出 20%的应变变化，应力为 0.14 MPa，与骨骼肌相当。在 1000 次循环后，蠕变效应低至 0.2%，具有良好的长期稳定性，每个循环的应变变化为-1.8%（在 1000 次循环后）。这些材料特性非常适合未来作为人工肌肉、电池、智能膜等技术应用。
