Electropolymerized Conducting Polymer as Actuator and Sensor Device: An Undergraduate Electrochemical Laboratory Experiment
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María T. Cortés [1] ; Juan C. Moreno [1]
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[1] Universidad de Los Andes
Universidad de Los Andes
Colombia
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- Localización: Journal of chemical education, ISSN 0021-9584, Vol. 82, Nº 9, 2005, pág. 1372
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
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Resumen
A trilayer formed by two conducting polymer films sandwiched around an adhesive polymer layer works as actuator and sensor simultaneously. This device can be bent up to ±180° and it can be used as a sensing device of physical chemistry parameters such as cell temperature and electrolyte concentration. In this article, it is shown in a didactic way how to electrochemically synthesize ClO4–-doped polypyrrole (PPy) films, how to fabricate a trilayer device, and how to evaluate its actuating and sensing capabilities. The required materials are simple and a complicated setup is not necessary. A laboratory exercise that introduces the actuating properties of polypyrrole as well as the temperature-sensing capabilities of PPy can be used to expose students to electrochemical and smart materials principles.
