• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.533-539
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• 2013

Recently, Ionic Polymer Metal Composite (IPMC) systems receive great attention in the fields of the medical and biomedical Engineering because of several merits in terms of new actuators and sensors and fuel cell materials. When the voltage is excited to IPMC system, it moves. Conversely, if there are any movement on the IPMC, the IPMC has charge voltage by the internal properties. Therefore the IPMC can be used as a motion sensor or force sensor. In this paper, we identify characteristics of the IPMC and control its movements from remote locations by the smart-phone system based on visual information for monitoring. Additionally, control of movements of the IPMC is realized by transmit motion commands using the smart-phone system with the blue-tooth communication. Unfortunately, there are some deficiencies to perfectly attain physical properties of the IPMC systems from our experiments in this paper. However, in its utilization point of view, we demonstrate that the IPMC has some potentials as new sensors, actuators, and fuel cells.

• Composites Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.50-54
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• 2007

The Ionic Polymer Metal Composite (IPMC), an electro-active polymer, has many advantages including bending actuation, low weight, low power consumption, and flexibility. These advantages coincide with the requirements of a bio-related application. Thus, IPMC is promising materials for bio-mimetic actuator and sensor applications. Before applying IPMC to actual application, basic mechanical properties of IPMC should be studied in order to utilize IPMC for practical uses. Therefore, IPMCs are fabricated to investigate the mechanical characteristics. Nafion is used as a base ionic polymer. Mason samples cast with various thicknesses are used to test the thickness effects of IPMC. Subsequently, IPMC is fabricated using the chemical reduction method. The deformation, blocking force and frequency response of the IPMC actuator are important properties. In this present study, the performances of the IPMC actuators, including the deformation, blocking force and natural frequency, are then obtained according to only the input voltage and IPMC dimensions. Finally, the empirical performance model and the equivalent stiffness model of the IPMC actuator are established using experiments results.

• Ceramist
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.16-26
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• 2020

Recently, polymer-metal composite (IPMC)-based ionic artificial muscle has been drawing a huge attention for its excellent soft actuator performance having outstanding soft actuator performance with efficient conversion of electrical energy to mechanical energy under low working voltage. In addition, light, flexible and soft nature of IPMC and high bending strain response enabled development of versatile sensor application in association with soft actuator. In this paper, current issues of IPMC were discussed including standardizing preparation steps, relaxation under DC bias, inhibiting solvent evaporation, and improving poor output force. Solutions for these drawbacks of IPMC have recently been suggested in recent studies. After following explanation of the IPMC working mechanism, we investigate the main factors that affect the operating performance of the IPMC. Then, we reviewed the optimized IPMC actuator fabrication conditions especially for the preparation process, additive selection for a thicker membrane, water content, solvent substitutes, encapsulation, etc. Lastly, we considered the pros and cons of IPMCs for sensor application in a theoretical and experimental point of view. The strategies discussed in this paper to overcome such deficiencies of IPMCs are highly expected to provide a scope for IPMC utilization in soft robotics application.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2013.05a
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• pp.531-533
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• 2013

In this paper, to study the IPMC (Ionic exchange Polymer Metal Composite) material consisting of a sulfonic acid ion and fluoride combination of carbon with Nafion film greatly affected the electro-active polymer (Electro Active Polymer) characteristics and the presence of water and cationshave properties. Use or electrical energy into mechanical energy, mechanical energy, electrical energy, and can be utilized to its characteristics, depending on the water and cations in water varies greatly. Configure the device simulations in order to study the electrical properties of these IPMC. Stepper Motor using MCU and simulator designed for the electrical characterization due to the movement and to the implementation of the mechanical movement of ocean currents. In this study, configuration the IPMC and simulation device to the area of the IPMC to the efficient use of energy currents, frequency, salinity concentration, through the efficient use of the IPMC due to the bend angle of the electrical analysis and research methods we propose.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.257-264
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• 2005

This paper proposes an ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) based artificial muscle to be applicable to the Myoelectric hand prosthesis. The IPMC consists of a thin polymer membrane with metal electrodes plated chemically on both faces, and it is widely applying to the artificial muscle because it is driven by relatively low input voltage. The control commands for the IPMC-based artificial muscle is given by electromyographic (EMG) signals obtained from human forearm. By an intended contraction of the human flexor carpi ulnaris and extensor carpi ulnaris muscles, we investigated the actuation behavior of the IPMC-based artificial muscle. To obtain higher actuation force of the IPMC, the single layered as thick as $800[{\mu}m]$ or multi-layered IPMC of which each layer can be as thick as $178[{\mu}m]$ are prepared. As a result, the bending force was up to the maximum 12[gf] from 1[gf] by actuating the single layered IPMC with $178[{\mu}m]$, but the bending displacement was reduced to 6[mm] from 30[mm]. The experimental results using an implemented IPMC control system show a possibility and a usability of the bio-mimetic artificial muscle.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
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• v.52 no.7
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• pp.298-304
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• 2003

IPMC(Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite) is a highly sensitive actuator that shows a large deformation in presence of low applied voltage. Generally, IPMC can be fabricated by electroless plating of platinum on both sides of a Nafion (perfluorosulfonic acid) film. When a commercial Nafion film is used as a base structure of the IPMC membrane, the micro-pump structure and the IPMC membrane are fabricated separately and then later assembled, which makes the fabrication inefficient. Therefore, fabrication of an IPMC membrane and the micro-pump structure on a single wafer without the need of assembly have been developed. The silicon wafer was partially etched to hold liquid Nafion to be casted and a 60-${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ thick IPMC membrane was realized. IPMC membranes with various size were fabricated by casting and they showed 4-2${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ displacements from $4mm{\times}4mm$ , $6mm{\times}6mm$, $8mm{\times}8mm$ membranes at the applied voltage ranging from 2Vp-p to 5Vp-p at 0.5Hz. The displacement of the fabricated IPMC membranes is fairly proportional to the membrane area and the applied voltage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.24-30
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• 2008

The laminate IPMC actuator have been developed with a commercial Nafion film and platinum electrodes. Equivalent beam and equivalent bimorph beam models for IPMC(Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite) actuators are described. By using a beam equation with estimated physical properities and actuation displacements of a cantilevered IPMC actuator are estimated. And Finite element analysis(FEA) was done by ANSYS.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.10 no.11
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• pp.1012-1016
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• 2004

In the present paper, equivalent beam and equivalent bimorph beam models for IPMC(ionic Polymer-Metal Composite) actuators are described. Physical properties of an IPMC, such as Young's modulus and electro-mechanical coupling coefficient. are determined from the rule of mixture, bimorph beam equations, and measured force-displacement data of a cantilevered IPMC actuator. By using a beam equation with estimated physical properties, actuation displacements of a cantilevered IPMC actuator was calculated and a good agreement between the computed tip displacements and the measured data was observed. Finite element analysis(FEA) combined with the estimated physical properties was used to reproduce the force-displacement relationship of an IPMC actuator. Results from the FEA agreed well with the measure data. The proposed models might be used for modeling of IPMC actuators with complicated shapes and boundary conditions.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.463-467
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• 2005

In order to enhance the actuation force of ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) made with the acrylic copolymer of fluoroalkyl methacryate, acrylic acie, and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate(HEMA), the hydroxy group of HEMA was corsslinked with 1,3-diethoxy-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane. The water uptake was reduced and the mechanical strengths and the actuation force of the membrane was improved by crosslinking. However, current and deformation responses of IPMC were decreased by crosslinking.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.34 no.12
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• pp.1865-1870
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• 2010

We develop an IPMC actuator with self-sensing behavior based on an accurate neural network model (NNM). The supplied voltage and voltage signals measured at two determined points on both sides of the IPMC sheet are used as inputs to the NNM. A CCD laser displacement sensor is installed in the rig for accurate measurement of the IPMC tip displacement that is used as the training output of the proposed NNM. Consequently, the NNM model is used to estimate the IPMC tip displacement; the NNM parameters are optimized by the collected input/output training data. The effectiveness of the model for the IPMC actuator is then verified by modeling results.