Behavior Emulation Of Ionic Conducting Polymer-Metal Composites Used For Bionical Driving

Propeller is a developed method of driving, but it has some disadvantages as a rigid driving mode. When seeking for a better driving mode, the way of fish swimming is associated, which requires the material for the new driving mode should be soft. Ionic conducting polymer-metal composites(IPMC), known as a kind of material of artificial muscle, is chosen as the research object for its own characteristics, which may change the ever rigid driving modes totally. This paper mainly researches the emulation method of the behavior of IPMC under electric stimulation.IPMC is a kind of new intelligent materials which has got much attention in the world. This paper firstly introduces the performance, characteristic, motion mechanism and uses of IPMC, reviews sorts of calculating models for emulation abroad and in domestic. Because bimorph has the similar behavior under electric stimulation with IPMC and it is included in the material library of ANSYS, the research means is decided as simulating the behavior of IPMC by using bimorph. General theoretical formulae are abstracted from the calculating pattern of bimorph, equivalent material coefficients are determined and equivalent coefficient model for IPMC actuator is established. The program system for emulation of IPMC is also given. Indicated by the results from the finite element analysis(FEA) agreeing with the measured data almost, the proposed model can be adopted for modeling of IPMC actuator, which provides possibility for the emulation of complex behavior in the future.