BENDING OF POLYMERIC MATERIAL

PURPOSE:To bend a polymeric material reversibly by electric energy, by immersing an ionic functional group-containing polymeric material in an electrolyte solution until an equilibrium of wetting is reached and applying a D.C. voltage to the solution. CONSTITUTION:An electrolyte solution 2 (e.g., an aqueous solution of about 10-10mol of KOH) is poured into a container 1 having a positive electrode plate 3 and a negative electrode plate 3' on both sides (both of the electrodes 3 and 3' are immersed in the electrolyte solution 2). Separately, a polymeric material 4 having ionic functional groups (e.g., carboxyl, sulfone, or ammonium groups) is immersed in the electrolyte solution so that its long axis may be in parallel with the surface of the electrodes until an equilibrium of wetting with the electrolyte solution is reached (numeral 5 is a fixing pin provided on its center). Next, a D.C. voltage of about 10-1,000V is applied between the electrodes 3 and 3' from a D.C. source 6, whereupon both of the ends of the rod-like polymeric material 4 can be bent in one direction toward the side of the positive or negative electrode.