Ionic Polymer Metal Composites (IPMCs) Optimal Manufacturing

Abstract

This chapter presents a brief description of various methodologies, techniques and experimental procedures for manufacturing ionic polymeric metal composites (IPMCs) and ionic polymeric conductor composites as biomimetic robotic multi-functional smart materials, actuators, energy harvesters, sensors and artificial muscles. IPMCs may also be manufactured as a membrane electrode assembly for hydrogen fuel cells. Furthermore, a number of issues such as IPMC actuators force optimization using the Taguchi design of experiment technique, the effects of different cations on the electromechanical performance of IPMCs, electrode and particle size and distribution control, manufacturing cost minimization approaches, scaling and three-dimensional (3D) manufacturing of IPMC fabrication issues and heterogeneous composites by physical loading techniques are also reviewed and discussed. Plating IPMCs with graphene or using ionic liquids as a polarizing liquid within the macromolecular network of IPMCs, as well as using XR-Resin to make complex molds for 3D IPMCs, are also discussed. The performance of those IPMCs produced by different manufacturing techniques are presented and compared.