Polymer Actuators Using Ion-Gel Electrolytes Prepared by Self-Assembly of ABA-Triblock Copolymers

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Abstract

Well-defined ABA-triblock copolymers, polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate)-block-polystyrene (SMS), which have two different polystyrene (PSt) weight fractions (fPSt), were synthesized by successive atom-transfer radical polymerizations. Ion gels consisting of SMS and an ionic liquid, (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide [C2mim][NTf2]), were prepared using the cosolvent evaporation method with tetrahydrofuran. Atomic force microscope images of the ion gels indicated that PSt is phase-separated to form sphere domains that serve as physical cross-linking points because PSt is not compatible with [C2mim][NTf2], while a continuous poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) phase with dissolved [C2mim][NTf2] is formed to serve as ion conduction paths. Accordingly, the ion gels are formed by the self-assembly of SMS and the preferential dissolution of [C2mim][NTf2] into the PMMA phase. The viscoelastic properties of the gels can be easily controlled by changing fPSt in SMS and [C2mim][NTf2] concentration in the ion gels. The ion gels that exhibit high ionic conductivities (>10–3 S cm–1) at room temperature were used as an electrolyte of an ionic polymer actuator, which has a trilaminar structure consisting of the ion-gel electrolyte sandwiched between two composite carbon electrodes containing high-surface-area activated carbon powders. By applying low voltages (<3.0 V) to the electrodes, the actuator exhibited a soft bending motion toward the anodic side.

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