Artificial muscle like behavior of polypyrrole polyethylene oxide independent of applied potential ranges

Abstract

Abstract The development of artificial muscles replicating natural muscles is envisaged for the construction of soft devices and robots working at low voltages. Here we present the parallel electrosynthesis, characterization, and isometric and isotonic study of Electro‐Chemo‐Mechanical‐Deformations from polypyrrole doped with dodecylbenzenesulfonate (DBS − ) with addition of 10 wt.% polyethylene oxide (PEO) forming PPy‐PEO/DBS films and PPy/DBS films. They were submitted to potential cycling or consecutive potential steps (0.0025 Hz–0.1 Hz) using different potential ranges (0.8 to −0.4 V, 0.65 to −0.6 V and ±1.0 V) in a solution of bis(trifluoromethane) sulfonimide lithium in propylene carbonate (LiTFSI‐PC). The PPy‐PEO/DBS linear films showed anion‐driven actuation while PPy/DBS revealed mixed ion (cation and anion) actuation. The PPy‐PEO/DBS film samples present the higher strain range of 20% (stress over 1 MPa) with 2 times higher strain and stress variations than the PPy/DBS films. The potential range 0.8 to −0.4 V showed best results for PPy‐PEO/DBS in long‐term cycling stability up to 1000 cycles of 4.2% strain and 0.35 MPa stress, suitable for artificial muscle like applications. Material characterization considered before and after actuation cycles was made with scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray, and Raman spectroscopy.