Poly(ethylene oxide) in polypyrrole doped dodecylbenzenesulfonate: characterisation and linear actuation

We show improvement in linear actuation properties of polypyrrole-doped dodecylbenzenesulfonate (PPy/DBS) by incorporating varying amounts of polyethylene oxide (5 wt % or 15 wt %) into PPy during electroploymerisation (PPy/DBS-PEO). Knowing that pristine PPy/DBS linear actuators in aqueous electrolytes are driven by cation ingress during reduction, the actuation properties are studied in isotonic (length change) mode of electro-chemo-mechanical-deformation (ECMD) measurements. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy revealed that PEO is incorporated in PPy/DBS films. ECMD studies revealed a three-fold improvement in electronic conductivity for the PPyDBS-PEO 15% film that also demonstrated improved strain of 7% in comparison to the strain of PPy/DBS film of 1.9%.