Electroactive Polymer Chemical Treatment
- Summary
- Purdue University researchers have developed a novel chemical process that can be used to prestrain a wide range of EAP materials. This process simplifies and greatly improves the manufacturability of EAPs, making them durable, flexible, and in constant contact with the circuit. EAPs have many applications in mechanical systems and medical devices.
- Technology Benefits
- Simplifies manufacturing Creates durable polymers
- Technology Application
- Mechanical systemsMedical devices
- Detailed Technology Description
- Gary KrutzPurdue Agricultural and Biological Engineering
- Countries
- United States
- Application No.
- None
- *Abstract
-
- *Background
- Electroactive polymers (EAP) are polymers that change size or shape when activated by an electric field. EAPs behave similarly to artificial muscles and have many applications as actuators or sensors in robotics and devices such as microfluidic pumps and optical membranes. During manufacturing, these materials need to be stressed, usually mechanically or thermally, in order to improve their strain behavior in the final application. These processes add additional cost and complexity to the manufacturing process.
- *IP Issue Date
- None
- *IP Type
- Provisional
- *Stage of Development
- Prototype Testing
- *Web Links
- Purdue Office of Technology CommercializationPurdueInnovation and EntrepreneurshipGary KrutzPurdue Agricultural and Biological Engineering
- Country/Region
- USA
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