Laminar mixing using oscillating cantilevered ionic polymer actuators

A novel active mixing device for laminar flows was developed using Nafion-based Ionic Polymer Transducers (IPTs). IPTs are a class of active materials that are thin, flexible, inexpensive, readily deployable in an aqueous medium, and offer strains up to 10% under a small (<2 V) applied voltage. In this work we investigate the potential of IPT actuators as mixing elements by analyzing the characteristics of the flow generated the interaction of a single cantilevered IPT membrane with the incident laminar flow.Two cantilevered configurations of a single polymer oriented either parallel or perpendicular to the incident flow are tested utilizing a straight rectangular channel at a Reynolds number Rec = 10. The flow characteristics are quantified using planar Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV) and measurements are obtained at several locations downstream of the cantilevered IPT. Local increases in the mixing potential were measured within one channel diameter downstream of the membrane, ranging from 150% to over 375% when compared to a baseline case. Here in, the potential of IPTs as mixing elements is demonstrated. To the authors’ knowledge, the concept presented herein is the first attempt to exploit IPTs within the context of a laminar mixing device.