Ionic liquids dramatically improve performance of artificial muscles

05-July-2002

Researchers at the University of Wollongong's Intelligent Polymer Research Institute (IPRI) in close collaboration with a research group at Victoria's Monash University have developed a range of ionic liquids that dramatically improve the performance of artificial muscles.

The work has been carried out in parallel with scientists at Santa Fe Science and Technology in the United States and will appear today in a joint publication in the prestigious journal Science. Professor Gordon Wallace has led the IPRI team while Professor Doug MacFarlane headed the Monash University team.

The ionic liquids are organic salt baths providing a source of ions that efficiently migrate into and out of the artificial muscle polymer (material) to cause expansion/shrinkage and consequently movement and/or force generation.

Professor Wallace's team has been working on ways to efficiently stimulate the material with low voltage electricity. Millivolts of charge were applied to the material causing it to expand and contract like naturally occurring muscle.

"These new salts significantly improve the performance characteristics in terms of speed of responses, strain generation and life time," Professor Wallace said.

The finding is also expected to have immediate impact on IPRI projects involving the development of an Electronic Braille screen (with Quantum Technology, Australia) and stearable cochlear implants (with the CRC for Cochlear Implants and Hearing Innovation). In the longer term, Professor Wallace said the finding would have an impact on many new areas including the development of wearable (fibre-based) energy storage systems Ð a collaborative project involving input from IPRI, Monash and the Santa Fe team.

For further information contact Professor Gordon Wallace on (02) 4221 3127.