Powered by OpenAIRE graph
Found an issue? Give us feedback
addClaim

Hydrogel-reinforced polypyrrole electroactuator

Authors: Yongchen Wang; Bingxi Yan; Yu Wu 0005; Liang Guo 0005;

Hydrogel-reinforced polypyrrole electroactuator

Abstract

Robust electroactuators that are lightweight, power-efficient and capable of generating high forces at a low actuation voltage are of great demand in the design of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) for biomedical applications. In this work, electroactive composite films of alginate hydrogel and polypyrrole/polyethylene glycol (PPy/PEG) are synthesized and characterized as actuators for driving an implantable insulin micropump. A porous and flexible alginate hydrogel back layer is used to mechanically reinforce the PPy/PEG film by enhancing the actuator's resistance to its generated tension but without increase of its overall rigidness. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals that the PPy/PEG grows through the alginate hydrogel layer, thus forming a well-integrated composite and eliminating the possibility of delamination in long term applications. Mechanical test proves this alginate-PPy/PEG composite film to be more stretchable than the PPy/PEG film, and electroactuation test in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) demonstrated a large deformation at +2 V in 60 s. Taken together, our work here indicates great promise for this new type of composite actuator to be used in biomedical MEMS.

Related Organizations
Keywords

Insulin Infusion Systems, Polymers, Pyrroles, Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems, Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate

  • BIP!
    Impact byBIP!
    selected citations
    These citations are derived from selected sources.
    This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
    2
    popularity
    This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
    Average
    influence
    This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
    Average
    impulse
    This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
    Average
Powered by OpenAIRE graph
Found an issue? Give us feedback
selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
2
Average
Average
Average
Upload OA version
Are you the author of this publication? Upload your Open Access version to Zenodo!
It’s fast and easy, just two clicks!