The effects of alkaline and alkaline earth metal salts on the performance of a polymer actuator based on single-wal led carbon nanotube-ionic liquid gel

We investigated an effect for alkaline metal salts or an alkaline earth metal salt on electrochemical and electromechanical properties of an actuator using a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)-ionic liquid (IL) gel electrode, and much better performance of the actuator containing the metal salt/IL. The actuator containing the alkaline metal salt /IL or alkaline earth metal salt/IL performed much better than that containing only the IL. It is considered that the higher ionic conductivity of the gel electrolyte layer containing the alkaline metal salt /IL or alkaline earth metal salt/IL produces the quick response actuator, and that the large capacitance gives the large generated strain.