Impact of carbon nanotube additives on carbide-derived carbon-based electroactive polymer actuators

The effects of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on the properties of carbide-derived carbon (CDC)-based electroactive polymer (EAP) actuators were studied. SWCNTs were used as an additive to increase the mesoporosity and electrical conductivity of the electrodes, and also to support the CDC matrix. EAP actuators with various ratios of SWCNTs to CDC in the electrodes were fabricated and their electromechanical and electrochemical characteristics were examined. The addition of SWCNTs to CDC-based electrodes significantly increased the bending strain and stress (bending force) of the actuators. The actuator assembled with electrodes containing SWCNTs and CDC in the ratio 50/50 (wt.%/wt.%) showed the highest strain output among the samples at lower frequencies (<0.1 Hz). The increase in maximum strain was more than twice that of pure CDC-based EAPs (0.85% vs. 0.35% at an applied voltage of ±2 V). Also, the high frequency (5–50 Hz) response of the combined SWCNT/CDC-based actuators was considerably improved.