Patent ID: 7700129
Filing Date: 2010-04-20
Classification: F03G,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A polymer actuator comprising: a plurality of gel/electrode complexes arranged in an electrolytic aqueous solution, at least one of said gel/electrode complexes being composed of a polymer gel containing acidic functional groups and electrode placed within the polymer gel and at least one of said gel/electrode complexes being composed of a polymer gel containing basic functional groups and electrode placed within the polymer gel, said electrodes being made of a material capable of occluding and releasing hydrogen electrochemically, such that the polymer gel in each gel/electrode complex changes in pH due to occlusion or release of hydrogen from the electrode due to application of voltage across the electrodes of the gel/electrode complexes, wherein the pH change in the polymer gel is achieved without the evolution of gas and the consumption of water, and each of the gel/electrode complexes changes in volume in response to the pH change.