Long-life air working Semi-IPN/Ionic liquid: New precursor of artificial muscles

Interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) containing an electronic conducting polymer (ECP) dispersed gradually into networks of two cross-linked polymers ensuring both ionic conductivity in a presence of a salt and mechanical properties perform interesting electrically stimulation. First, we will describe how is elaborated such an actuator and what is the influence of the ECP contents on the properties of the system. Then, we will show that if the salt incorporated in the IPN is a room temperature ionic liquid, this actuator can move for a very long time in air without significant decrease of its characteristics.