Nonlinear sensing of ionic polymer metal composites

In this paper, we develop a physics-based model for the charge dynamics of ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs) in response to mechanical deformations. The proposed chemoelectromechanical model is based on the Poisson–Nernst–Planck system that describes the evolution of the voltage field and the counterion concentration as a dynamic strain is imposed to the IPMC. We use the method of matched asymptotic expansions to find a closed form solution for the Poisson–Nernst–Planck equations and derive an equivalent nonlinear circuit model that is amenable for parametric studies. We report results for a variety of loading scenarios to gather insight into the nonlinear characteristics of IPMC electrical response and their potential application in sensors and energy harvesting devices.