Planate Conducting Polymer Actuator and Its Application

We propose a planate conducting polymer actuator which can transform only its central part locally and a micro pump using its actuator as a drive source. We have developed a planate conducting polymer actuator based on polypyrrole and two types of acids, such as p-phenol sulfonic acid and dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid, by electrodeposition. Its structure was patterned bimorph structure with anion-driven, cation-driven and bimorph layers. The planate conducting polymer actuator could deform only its central part locally. And, we have proposed a micro pump using the planate conducting polymer actuator as the drive source. The water level in the flow channel of micro pump shows the reciprocating motion measuring ±2 mm in accordance with the oscillation of the bimorph conducting polymer actuator which was approximately 28 μl/min. The oscillating volume can be controlled by the application of electrochemical potential and its scan rate applied to the actuator.