Pattern formation theory for electroactive polymer gel robots

Abstract

This paper proposes the mathematical model of deformation for gel robots and develops the pattern formation theory. The robots are made of surfactant-driven ionic polymer gel in constant electric fields, which is a typical electroactive polymer gel containing poly 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (PAMPS). A beam of gel in uniform electric fields develops wave forms through penetration of the surfactant solution. The model is to be built on the hypothesis of adsorption-induced deformation. The mechanism of wave-shape pattern formation is then analyzed utilizing the model. The results of this study provide the foundation to develop deformable machines with virtually infinite degrees of freedom.