J4 ›› 2011, Vol. 8 ›› Issue (3): 263-273.

• 论文 • 上一篇    下一篇

Numerical Simulation of Dynamic Electro-Mechanical Response of Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites

Yaqi Gong1, Jianping Fan2, Chak-yin Tang3, Chi-pong Tsui3   

  1. 1. Department of Material and Structure, Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute, Wuhan 430010, P. R. China
    2. School of Civil Engineering &|Mechanics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, P. R. China
    3. Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, P. R. China
  • 出版日期:2011-09-30
  • 通讯作者: Jianping Fan E-mail:jpfan@mail.hust.edu.cn

Numerical Simulation of Dynamic Electro-Mechanical Response of Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites

Yaqi Gong1, Jianping Fan2, Chak-yin Tang3, Chi-pong Tsui3   

  1. 1. Department of Material and Structure, Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute, Wuhan 430010, P. R. China
    2. School of Civil Engineering &|Mechanics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, P. R. China
    3. Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, P. R. China
  • Online:2011-09-30
  • Contact: Jianping Fan E-mail:jpfan@mail.hust.edu.cn

摘要:

Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites (IPMC) is an emerging class of Electro-Active Polymer (EAP) materials. IPMC has attractive features, such as high sensitivity and light weight, which are useful for developing novel designs in the fields of bionic actuators, artificial muscles and dynamic sensors. A Finite Element (FE) model was developed for simulating the dynamic electro-mechanical response of an IPMC structure under an external voltage input. A lumped Resistor–Capacitor (RC) model was used to describe the voltage-to-current relationship of a Nafion IPMC film for the computation of electric field intensity. Moreover, the viscoelastic property of the IPMC film was considered in the model and the non-uniform bending behavior was also taken into account. Based on the proposed model and the assumption that the thicknesses of the two electrodes are the same and uniform, the optimal coating thickness of the IPMC electrode was determined. It was demonstrated that the dynamic electro-mechanical response of the IPMC structure can be predicted by the proposed FE model, and the simulation results were in good agreement with the experimental findings.

关键词: IPMC, electro-mechanical response, finite element method

Abstract:

Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites (IPMC) is an emerging class of Electro-Active Polymer (EAP) materials. IPMC has attractive features, such as high sensitivity and light weight, which are useful for developing novel designs in the fields of bionic actuators, artificial muscles and dynamic sensors. A Finite Element (FE) model was developed for simulating the dynamic electro-mechanical response of an IPMC structure under an external voltage input. A lumped Resistor–Capacitor (RC) model was used to describe the voltage-to-current relationship of a Nafion IPMC film for the computation of electric field intensity. Moreover, the viscoelastic property of the IPMC film was considered in the model and the non-uniform bending behavior was also taken into account. Based on the proposed model and the assumption that the thicknesses of the two electrodes are the same and uniform, the optimal coating thickness of the IPMC electrode was determined. It was demonstrated that the dynamic electro-mechanical response of the IPMC structure can be predicted by the proposed FE model, and the simulation results were in good agreement with the experimental findings.

Key words: IPMC, electro-mechanical response, finite element method