Influence of metal plating treatment on the electric response of Nafion

A potentially promising material as a high performance electroactive polymer gel actuator, Nafion, is known for its fast and large bending upon an applied voltage. Not long ago, it was reported that copper plating on Nafion enhances the degree of its bending. We performed the combinational metal plating treatment on Nafion surfaces with silver, copper and nickel, and the performances of metal plated Nafions-bending curvature and generated force-upon an applied voltage were quantitatively evaluated. From the obtained results, it was speculated that the hydrated mobile ions play substantial roles for the large bending of Nafion as has been widely believed and for the enhancement of its generated force. In addition to them, nickel plating on Nafion surfaces was found to enable Nafion to exhibit a large force without a significant force decay owing to the low-elastic property of nickel layers. (C) 2003 Kluwer Academic Publishers.