3D-printed electroactive polymer force-actuator for large and high precise optical mirror applications

We describe a new development for a full 3D-printed-force actuator based on an advanced electroactive polymer (EAP) dedicated to large and live optical mirror applications, i.e., Live-Mirror Project (https://www.planets.life/live-mirror). The thin-film casting method was used to additively manufacture actuators, and we developed an integrating 3D printing technology to the EAP force-actuator production. Our 3D-printed actuator consists of the plasticized terpolymer layer (polyvinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene (PVDF-TrFE-CTFE) doped with diisononyl phthalate (DINP) plasticizer) sandwiched between two electrodes layers made of conductive terpolymer carbon black (CB) composite. The conductive CB layers were developed here to have a high electrical conductivity that can be used under significant voltage. We also made compatible blends with an actuator layer based on DINP polymer. Several fully 3D-printed EAP proof-of-concept actuator configurations were printed on a two-millimeters thick flat glass, i.e., an optical mirror surface. Its electromechanical performance was analyzed as a function of actuator volume, layer number, and electrical field intensity.