In situ growth of interdigitated electrodes made of polypyrrole for active fiber composites |
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Authors: | Niccolò Pini Stephan Busato Hans-Rudolf Elsener Paolo Ermanni |
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Institution: | 1. Centre for Structure Technologies, ETH Zurich—Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Leonhardstrasse 27, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland;2. Empa Materials Science and Technology, Ueberlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Duebendorf, Switzerland |
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Abstract: | Active fiber composites are electromechanical actuators based on piezo-ceramic fibers, which are embedded in a polymer matrix. The fibers are electrically contacted through so-called interdigitated electrodes (IDEs). State-of-the-art metallic IDEs only contact the fibers at two small sections of their circumference at the top and bottom of the composite ply, respectively. This paper presents an original technique to manufacture IDEs made of a conducting polymer (polypyrrole/p-toluene sulfonic acid), where the polymer electrodes contact the fibers around their whole circumference. The necessary process steps are discussed, namely design of the master electrodes and electrochemical polymer growth with and without fibers. Processing issues are discussed and solutions are suggested. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
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Keywords: | polypyrroles electrochemistry fibers piezoelectric fibers composites |
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