This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Kothera, C. S. Articles by Lacy, S. L. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Characterization and Modeling of the Nonlinear Response of Ionic Polymer Actuators

Center for Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0261, USA, ckothera{at}vt.edu

Donald J. Leo

Center for Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0261, USA

Seth L. Lacy

Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5776, USA

Ionic polymers are compliant, low density materials that operate under low voltage levels as transducers. They can be used as both sensors and actuators for various applications, primarily those involving flexible structures. While some debate continues over the dominant physical mechanisms of actuation, several model forms have been proposed. The majority of these existing models are linear relationships between the applied potential and the strain generated. However, nonlinear characteristics have been observed in both the electrical and mechanical response of cantilever actuators, including harmonic distortion in the sinusoidal time response and a shifting frequency response for increased input levels. Characterization results indicate that the nonlinear mechanisms are dynamic, since they have dominance at low frequencies, but are essentially negligible as the excitation frequency increases. This research uses knowledge gained from the characterization results to develop a dynamic model that can predict the observed nonlinear behavior. The empirical model is constructed from input-output data collected using a Gaussian input current signal and is validated against the measured frequency response function and single-frequency sinusoidal responses. The basic model form has a dynamic nonlinearity on the input to an underlying nonlinear system.

Key Words: Ionic polymer • nonlinear • characterization • identification • modeling.

Journal of Vibration and Control, Vol. 14, No. 8, 1151-1173 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1077546307080227


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?