Synthesis and dynamic analysis of actuator which contain metal nanoparticle doped graphene based elctrode and chitosan electrolyte

Ionic polymer - metal composite actuators are members of Electro Active Polymers which are part of smart devices. They are most widely used in artificial muscles. However, the cracks which are formed at the surface of metalic eletrodes, adversly affect the actuator performance. In this study, graphene based electrodes were produced as an alternative for metalic electrodes. Silver and gold nanoparticles were doped into the graphene electrodes thereby increasing their electrical conductivity. In addition, different methods were used to reduce graphene oxide and their effects on the performance of the actuator were investigated. The actuator which had the highest conductivity value and moving performance was prepared by the double-reduced and silver doped electrodes. The mobility of this sample was 17 mm. Following that, hidrazine-reduced and silver doped actuators (with the mobility of 6,6 mm) and triple reduced silver doped actuators (with the mobility of 1,09 mm) were obtained. In another group, gold doped actuators, different manufacturing process caused lower electrical conductivity and actuator performance. In this group, the hidrazine reduced gold doped actuators had 0,18 mm mobility while the double reduced gold doped actuators showed no mobility.