Electro-active polymers (or EAPs) are polymeric materials whose shapes are modified when a voltage is applied to them. They can be used as actuators or sensors. As actuators, they are characterized by the fact that they can undergo a large amount of deformation while sustaining large forces. Due to the similarities with biological tissues in terms of achievable stress and force, they are often called artificial muscles, and have the potential for application in the field of robotics, where large linear movement is often needed.
When certain types of electro-active polymers are physically flexed, they produce a voltage output. This effect allows EAPs to be used as potential sensors in various types of equipment. With EAPs’ inherent flexible and durable nature, long sensor life is expected. EAPs such as ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs) are active materials that exhibit interesting bidirectional electromechanical coupling phenomena, e.g., by bending an IPMC strip, a voltage output is obtained, while a voltage input is able to cause the strip to bend. Thus, they are also large motion sensors. The output voltage can be calibrated for a standard-size sensor and correlated to the applied loads or stresses. EAPs can be manufactured and cut in any size and shape. For example, for a structural health monitoring of a bridge such as the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge against all vibrational, aerodynamics or natural disturbances, a completely integrated and distributed computer-controlled package of quickly installed, user-friendly IPMC sensor elements numbering 100,000 are required.
Electro-active ceramic actuators (for example, piezoelectric and electro-strictive) are effective, compact actuation materials, and they are used to replace electromagnetic motors. However, while these materials are capable of delivering large forces, they produce a relatively small displacement, on the order of magnitude of a fraction of a percent. Since the beginning of the 1990s, new electro-active polymer (EAP) materials have emerged that exhibit large strains, and they have led to a great paradigm change with regards to their capability. The unique properties of these materials are highly attractive for bio-mimetic applications such as biologically inspired intelligent robots. Increasingly, engineers are able to develop EAP actuated mechanisms that were previously imaginable only in science fiction. Electric motors tend to be too weak, while hydraulics and pneumatics are too heavy for use in robotics or prosthetics. EAPs, in comparison, are lightweight, quiet and capable of energy densities similar to biological muscles.
In ionic EAPs, actuation is caused by the displacement of ions inside the polymer. Only a few volts are needed for actuation, but the ionic flow implies a higher electrical power needed for actuation, and energy is needed to keep the actuator at a given position. Examples of ionic EAPS are conducting polymers, ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs), and responsive gels. Yet another example is a Bucky gel actuator, which is a polymer-supported layer of polyelectrolyte material consisting of an ionic liquid sandwiched between two electrode layers consisting of a gel of ionic liquid containing single wall carbon nanotubes. The name refers to Buckyballs.
This study reports new concepts in mechanism design and digital mechatronics, which have the potential to significantly impact a wide variety of systems and devices, including medical devices, manufacturing systems, toys and robotics, among others. The survey mainly targets dielectric elastomer actuators, conductive polymers actuators and ionic polymer metal composites (IMPC) actuators as the most likely candidates to act as EAP devices, on the basis of material characteristics, maturity of technology, reliability, and cost to meet design requirements of applications considered.
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- INTRODUCTION
- STUDY GOAL AND OBJECTIVES
- REASONS FOR DOING THE STUDY
- CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE STUDY
- SCOPE AND FORMAT
- METHODOLOGY
- INFORMATION SOURCES
- WHOM THE STUDY CATERS TO
- AUTHOR’S CREDENTIALS
- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- SUMMARY TABLE A GLOBAL MARKET SIZE/PERCENTAGE SHARE FOR ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER ACTUATORS AND SENSORS, 2007 AND 2012
- SUMMARY FIGURE A GLOBAL MARKET FOR ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER ACTUATORS AND SENSORS BY APPLICATION IN 2007 AND 2012
- SUMMARY TABLE B NORTH AMERICAN AND GLOBAL MARKET FOR ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER ACTUATORS AND SENSORS, 2007 AND 2012
- SUMMARY FIGURE B NORTH AMERICAN AND GLOBAL MARKET FOR ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER ACTUATORS AND SENSORS BY APPLICATION IN 2007 AND 2012
- INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
- EAP TECHNOLOGY AND TYPES
- EAP TECHNOLOGY AND TYPES (CONTINUED)
- IONIC EAPS
- ELECTRONIC EAPS
- ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF EAP GROUPS
- TABLE 1 SUMMARY OF THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE TWO BASIC EAP GROUPS
- DEFINITIONS
- TABLE 2 DEFINITIONS OF TECHNICAL TERMS USED FOR ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER ACTUATORS
- TABLE 2 DEFINITIONS OF TECHNICAL TERMS USED FOR ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER ACTUATORS (CONTINUED)
- BACKGROUND OF ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMERS
- EAP ACTUATOR APPLICATIONS
- EAP ACTUATOR APPLICATIONS (CONTINUED)
- DETAILED APPLICATIONS
- DETAILED APPLICATIONS (CONTINUED)
- DETAILED APPLICATIONS (CONTINUED)
- DETAILED APPLICATIONS (CONTINUED)
- MARKET ACCORDING TO APPLICATIONS
- MARKET ACCORDING TO APPLICATIONS (CONTINUED)
- TABLE 3 SUMMARY OF GLOBAL MARKET OF ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER DEVICES BY APPLICATIONS THROUGH 2012
- FIGURE 1 MARKET SHARE FOR EAP AND DEVICES BY APPLICATION IN 2007 AND 2012
- MEDICAL APPLICATIONS
- MICRO-PUMPS
- MICRO-PUMPS (CONTINUED)
- CHECK VALVES
- ACTIVE CATHETERS
- ACTIVE CATHETERS (CONTINUED)
- ACTIVE CATHETERS (CONTINUED)
- ACTIVE CATHETERS (CONTINUED)
- ENABLING NEW FUNCTIONALITY FOR MEDICAL DEVICES
- MRI APPLICATIONS
- EYE FOCUS CORRECTION
- DISPOSABLE INFUSION PUMPS
- MEDICAL MARKETS
- TABLE 4 FORECAST OF ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMERS IN MICRO-PUMPS, ACTIVE CATHETERS, MRI EQUIPMENT AND EYE FOCUS CORRECTION, 2007-2012
- ROBOTICS EMULATING BIOLOGY
- ROBOTICS EMULATING BIOLOGY (CONTINUED)
- ROBOTICS EMULATING BIOLOGY (CONTINUED)
- ROBOTICS MARKET
- TABLE 5 FORECAST OF ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER DEVICES IN DIGITAL MECHTRONICS USED IN MEDICAL BIOMETICS ROBOTICS AND TOY ROBOTICS, 2007-2012
- WALL SHEAR STRESS SENSORS
- WALL SHEAR STRESS SENSOR MARKET
- TABLE 6 FORECAST OF USAGE OF EAP AS SENSOR (DEVICES) IN CIVIL AND STRUCTURAL CONSTRUCTIONS, 2007-2012
- WEARABLE DIELECTRIC ELASTOMER ACTUATORS
- WEARABLE DIELECTRIC ELASTOMER MARKET
- TABLE 7 FORECAST OF U.S.AGE OF EAP AS A WEARABLE DIELECTRIC ELASTOMER 2007-2012
- MARKET ACCORDING TO MATERIAL TYPES
- TABLE 8 SUMMARY OF GLOBAL MARKET OF ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER ACTUATORS BY TECHNOLOGY THROUGH 2012
- FIGURE 2 ILLU.S.TRATION OF MARKET SHARE FOR EAP ACTUATORS AND SENSORS BY TECHNOLOGY IN 2007 AND 2012
- INDUSTRY STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS
- FACTORS INFLUENCING MARKET PERFORMANCE
- STANDARDIZATION, MODULARIZATION AND PLATFORM TECHNOLOGIES
- PRODUCTION INFRASTRUCTURE
- BUSINESS MODELS AND SUCCESS STORIES
- INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
- BUSINESS MODELS AND PLAYERS
- TABLE 9 COMPANY PRODUCT/REFERENCE OF MANUFACTURERS OF ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMERS ACTUATORS
- TABLE 10 MARKET SHARE OF TOP MANUFACTURERS OF ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER ACTUATORS IN 2007
- REGIONAL MARKET
- TABLE 11 SUMMARY OF GLOBAL MARKET OF ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER DEVICES BY REGION THROUGH 2012
- FIGURE 3 REGIONAL PERCENTAGES OF MARKET SHARE FOR EAP AND DEVICES IN 2007 AND 2012
- FIGURE 3 REGIONAL PERCENTAGES OF MARKET SHARE FOR
- EAP AND DEVICES IN 2007 AND 2012 (CONTINUED)
- ACQUISITIONS AND MERGERS
- TABLE 12 PARTENRSHIP AND COLLABORATION DEALS OF POLYMER ACTUATORS 2000-2007
- TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW OF EAP ACTUATORS AND SENSORS
- DIELECTRIC ELASTOMER ACTUATORS
- CONSTRUCTION AND CHARACTERSTICS
- FIGURE 4 DIELECTRIC ELASTOMER POLYMER ACTUATOR CONSTRUCTION
- CONDUCTIVE POLYMER ACTUATORS
- IONIC POLYMER METAL COMPOSITES ACTUATORS
- FIGURE 5 STRUCTURE OF IONIC POLYMER METAL COMPOSITES
- COMPARISON OF EAP ACTUATORS VERSUS OTHER ACTUATORS
- FIGURE 6 COMPARISION OF EAP ACTUATORS WITH OTHER ACTUATORS
- FIGURE 7 PERFORMANCE COMPARISON OF ACTUATORS - POLYMER ACTUATORS AND CONVENTIONAL ACTUATORS (ELECTRIC MOTORS, HYDRAULICS, PNEUMATICS AND SOLENOIDS) AND ALTERNATIVE ACTUATORS (PIEZOELECTRIC, SMA, MAGNETOSTRICTIVE).
- COMPARISON OF EAP SENSORS
- TABLE 13 COMPARISON OF IONOMERIC POLYMER SENSORS AND PIEZOELECTRIC SENSORS
- MATERIALS USED IN EAP ACTUATORS
- TABLE 14 MATERIALS USED IN ELECTRO-ACTIVE ACTUATORS AND SENSORS
- TABLE 14 MATERIALS USED IN ELECTRO-ACTIVE ACTUATORS AND SENSORS (CONTINUED)
- TABLE 15 UNIT PRICES OF DIFFERENT VARIATIONS OF IONIC POLYMER METAL COMPOSITES -IPMC ACTUATORS
- CHARACTERSTICS OF EAP ACTUATORS
- CHARACTERSTICS OF EAP ACTUATORS (CONTINUED)
- TABLE 16 CHARACTERSTICS AND PROPERTIES OF ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER (EAP) ACTUATORS
- TABLE 16 CHARACTERSTICS AND PROPERTIES OF ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER (EAP) ACTUATORS (COTINUED)
- OTHER KEY POINTS
- TABLE 17 COMPARISION OF WORK DENSITIES AND STRAINS OF ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMERS (EAP) ACTUATORS
- NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND PATENT ANALYSIS
- NEW DEVELOPMENTS
- ANDROIDS: AN APPLICATION OF EAP AS ARTIFICIAL MUSCILES IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY
- U.S. PATENTS AND PATENT ANALYSIS
- PATENTS ON ELECRO-ACTIVE ACTUATORS
- TABLE 18 NUMBER OF U.S. PATENTS GRANTED TO COMPANIES MANUFACTURING ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER ACTUATORS AND SENSORS FROM 2003 THROUGH 2007 (TO MAY 31)
- FIGURE 8 TOP COMPANIES IN TERMS OF U.S. PATENTS GRANTED IN ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER ACTUATORS AND SENSORS
- INTERNATIONAL OVERVIEW OF U.S. PATENT ACTIVITY
- IN ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER ACTUATORS AND SENSORS
- TABLE 19 NUMBER OF U,S, PATENTS GRANTED BY ASSIGNED COUNTRY/REGION FOR ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER ACTUATORS AND SENSORS FROM 2003 THROUGH 2007 (TO MAY 31)
- DETAILS OF U.S. PATENTS ISSUED FOR ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMERS AND DEVICES
- SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATING AN EAP ACTUATED FIRING BAR TRACK THROUGH AN ARTICULATION JOINT
- INSULATED NANOSCOPIC PATHWAYS, COMPOSITIONS AND DEVICES OF THE SAME
- ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER ANIMATED DEVICES
- ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMERS
- DIELECTRIC MOTORS WITH ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTING ROTATING DRIVE SHAFTS AND VEHICLES USING SAME
- ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMERS
- ROBOTIC ENDOSCOPE WITH WIRELESS INTERFACE
- UNIVERSAL, PROGRAMMABLE GUIDE CATHETER
- ULTRASONIC IMAGING CATHETER
- ELECTRONICALLY ACTIVATED CAPTURE DEVICE
- SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT HAVING AN EAP ACTUATED BUTTRESS DEPLOYMENT MECHANISM
- SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT HAVING AN EAP ACTUATED SINGLE LOCKOUT MECHANISM FOR PREVENTION OF FIRING
- SURGICAL INSTRUMENT INCORPORATING EAP BLOCKING LOCKOUT MECHANISM
- NON-UNIFORM THICKNESS ELECTRO-ACTIVE DEVICE
- EAP DEVICES FOR MOVING FLUID
- ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMERS
- ELECTRO-ACTIVE BASED ARTIFICIAL SPHINCTERS AND ARTIFICIAL MUSCLE PATCHES
- ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER ACTUATED MEDICAL DEVICES
- ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER ACTUATOR AND DIAPHRAGM PUMP USING THE SAME
- FABRIC-BASED SENSOR FOR MONITORING VITAL SIGNS
- ENERGY EFFICIENT EAPS AND EAP DEVICES
- ROLLED EAPS
- EAP TRANSDUCERS AND ACTUATORS
- VARIABLE STIFFNESS EAP SYSTEMS
- EAPS AND DEVICES MADE THEREFROM
- POLYMERIC BLENDS FOR SENSOR AND ACTUATION DUAL FUNCTIONALITY
- ROBOTIC ENDOSCOPE
- EAP-BASED ARTIFICIAL SPHINCTERS AND ARTIFICIAL MUSCLE PATCHES
- UNIVERSAL PROGRAMMABLE GUIDE CATHETER
- FABRIC OR GARMENT WITH INTEGRATED FLEXIBLE INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE FOR MONITORING VITAL SIGNS OF INFANTS
- EAP TRANSDUCERS AND ACTUATORS
- EAP ROTARY MOTORS
- ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMERS
- SURGICAL CORRECTION OF HUMAN EYE REFRACTIVE ERRORS BY ACTIVE COMPOSITE ARTIFICIAL MUSCLE IMPLANTS
- DIELECTRIC ELASTOMER ACTUATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS
- ELASTOMERIC ACTUATOR DEVICES FOR MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING
- POLYMER-POLYMER BILAYER ACTUATOR
- EAP FABRICATION
- EAP ANIMATED DEVICES
- EAP THERMAL ELECTRIC GENERATORS
- APPENDIX I - COMPANY PROFILES
- ARTIFICIAL MUSCLE, INC.
- BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED INC
- CHIPRX, INC. U.S.A.
- DANFOSS A/S
- DISCOVER TECHNOLOGIES INC.
- EAMEX CORPORATION
- ENVIRONMENTAL ROBOTS INCORPORATED
- EMPA
- ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY (EES), INC
- HANSON ROBOTICS
- JET PROPULSION LAB
- MEDIPACS LLC
- MICROMUSCLE AB
- OPHTHALMOTRONICS CORPORATION U.S.A.
- SENSATEX
- SRI INTERNATIONAL
- VIVOMETRICS
- APPENDIX II - LIST OF SUPPLIERS OF EAP MATERIAL
- 3M
- ABTECH SCIENTIFIC, INC.
- ALFA AESAR
- AMERICAN DYE SOURCE, INC.
- ASAHI GLASS
- BAYER
- THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY
- DEGUSSA GMBH
- DUPONT
- JOHNSON MATTHEY PLC
- KLÖCKNER PENTAPLAST OF AMERICA, INC.
- LUBRIZOL ADVANCED MATERIALS, INC.
- MARKTEK INC.
- MERCK KGAA
- NANOGENESYS, INC.
- ORMECON GMBH
- PANIPOL LTD.
- RTP COMPANY
- SIGMA-ALDRICH CORPORATION
- STERLING FIBERS, INC
- SUMITOMO CHEMICAL
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