Mechanoelectric transduction in ionic polymer-metal composite

The ability of ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) to generate current on mechanical deformation, defined as mechanoelectric transduction, can be exploited for design and development of numerous sensors and energy harvesters. However, sensor application of IPMC is currently limited due to the lack of understanding of the transduction mechanism. This paper presents a physics-based mechanoelectric model that takes into account material properties, electrostatic phenomenon, and ion transport in the IPMC. Experimental verification of the model predictions is also reported.