Abstract: An actuator includes a pair of electrodes facing each other, an intermediate layer containing an ionic liquid and arranged between the pair of electrodes, the electrodes and the intermediate layer being deformed when a potential difference larger than a potential window of the ionic liquid is applied between the electrodes, and insulating layers that suppress direct contact between ions of the ionic liquid and the electrodes, the insulating layers being arranged between the intermediate layer and the electrodes.

Abstract: A difference is arisen in the electric potential of the electrode layer between a fixed end portion and a displacement end portion of an actuator. The electrode layer includes a bundle of polymer fibers containing a conductive material. Longitudinal directions of the polymer fibers are arranged parallel to a direction from the fixed portion to the displacement end portion of the actuator.

Abstract: The present invention provides an actuator large in the amounts of displacement and generative force. The actuator includes a pair of electrode layers and an electrolyte-containing electrolyte layer interposed between the pair of electrode layers, and transforms upon application of a voltage thereto to cause ions in the electrolyte to migrate, wherein the electrolyte layer includes at least one polymer fiber layer made of polymer fibers and at least some of the polymer fibers of the polymer fiber layer are uniaxially oriented within a plane of the electrolyte layer.

Abstract: Provided is an actuator simultaneously having better deformation response characteristics and larger generative force. The actuator includes a pair of opposing electrodes and an intermediate layer disposed therebetween. The intermediate layer contains at least an electrolyte and includes at least a polymer fiber layer. The polymer fiber layer includes a plurality of polymer fibers crossing each other and intertwined three-dimensionally. The polymer fiber layer has fused portions at intersections of the polymer fibers.

Abstract: Provided is an ion conducting actuator that easily allows reduction in size and integration thereof, compared to existing one, and gives a large generating force. The columnar ion conducting actuator includes a tubular member serving as a first electrode, an ion-supplying material disposed inside the tubular member, and linear second electrodes disposed inside the tubular member. The ion-supplying material lies between the inner wall of the tubular member and the second electrodes and includes a polymer gel containing positive ions and negative ions. The tubular member contains a plurality of the second electrodes. Either the positive ions or the negative ions contained in the polymer gel move toward the plurality of second electrodes side and the other ions move toward the inner wall side of the tubular member by applying a voltage between the tubular member and the plurality of the second electrodes to elongate the ion conducting actuator.

Abstract: This invention provides an actuator which is easy to control the drive and has large generative force. The actuator is an actuator having a cylindrical outer frame body which expands in the side surface direction to bring the bottom portion and the top portion close to each other and a deformation unit which is accommodated in the outer frame body and has a plurality of deformation elements which are deformed by applying a voltage, in which, in the deformation unit, the plurality of deformation elements are mutually deformed when a voltage is applied to press and expand the outer frame body in the side surface direction.

Abstract: There is provided an actuator that can deform as an electrolyte moves, wherein at least one of a pair of electrode layers contains polymer fibers, and the polymer fibers contain an electroconductive material and are porous.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an actuator including a supporting portion including a first electrode, a second electrode disposed opposite the first electrode, and a part of a planar electrolyte member disposed therebetween, and having terminals configured to apply a voltage between the first and second electrodes; a displacement portion; and an intermediate portion disposed between the supporting portion and the displacement portion and including a third electrode on the electrolyte member and a conductive connecting member. The third electrode includes linear members and a conductive material. The linear members have major axes thereof extending in a direction crossing a direction from the supporting portion toward the displacement portion. The third electrode has conduction paths through which a current flows in the crossing direction. The conductive connecting member is electrically connected to one of the first and second electrodes and electrically connects the conduction paths together.

Abstract: Provided is an actuator simultaneously having better deformation response characteristics and larger generative force. The actuator includes a pair of opposing electrodes and an intermediate layer disposed therebetween. The intermediate layer contains at least an electrolyte and includes at least a polymer fiber layer. The polymer fiber layer includes a plurality of polymer fibers crossing each other and intertwined three-dimensionally. The polymer fiber layer has fused portions at intersections of the polymer fibers.

Abstract: An actuator with a sensor, including an actuator having electrodes and an ionic conduction layer, a sensor and a rigid body member provided in contact with the sensor. The actuator is connected to the sensor through the rigid body member such that the sensor is not deformed attending on deformation of the actuator.

Abstract: The present invention provides an actuator which can obtain a large displacement in a moving part, and suppresses the deterioration due to a counteracting force of the moving part in a stationary part. The actuator has a pair of electrode layers which contain a conductive material and a polymer, and an ionic conduction layer which is sandwiched between the pair of the electrode layers, wherein the content of the conductive material contained in the electrode layer is larger in the stationary part of the actuator than in the moving part of the actuator. The content of the conductive material contained in the electrode layer increases toward the stationary part of the actuator from the moving part.

Abstract: An actuator includes a first bending portion having a first electrode layer, a first electrolyte layer on a first surface of the first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer in contact with the first electrolyte layer; and a second bending portion having the first electrode layer, a second electrolyte layer on a second surface of the first electrode layer, the second surface facing the first surface, and a third electrode layer in contact with the second electrolyte layer, in which the first surface of the first electrode layer includes a region where the first electrolyte layer is not arranged, the second surface of the first electrode layer includes a region where the second electrolyte layer is not arranged, the first bending portion is adjacent to the second bending portion, and the bending direction of the first bending portion is opposite to the bending direction of the second bending portion.

Abstract: Provided is an actuator which has high degree of integration and can reduce a difference of the developed force depending on a direction of displacement, and obtain a substantially uniform developed force over all directions. The actuator including a laminate which includes: a pair of electrode layers; an ion-conducting layer that is held between the pair of electrode layers; and an insulating layer that is disposed on one of the pair of electrode layers, in which the laminate forms a multilayer structure that is spirally wound around a conductive shaft, and multiple notches are formed in at least a partial region of the multilayer structure.

Abstract: The invention provides a block polymer capable of being used as a molecular wire facilitating injection of carriers between itself and an electrode, and a device in which electrodes are bridged by one molecule. The block polymer has a main chain composed of polyacetylene having a spiral structure, and includes a coating insulating block and a conductive block. The coating insulating block has a polyacetylene unit structure having alkyl chains at its side chains through functional groups, the alkyl chains being arranged in a direction parallel to the major axis of the main chain. The conductive block has a polyacetylene unit structure having hydrogen atoms at its side chains through functional groups, the hydrogen atoms being arranged in a direction parallel to the major axis of the main chain. The device has the above-mentioned block polymer, and two or more electrodes.

Abstract: Provided is an ion conducting actuator that easily allows reduction in size and integration thereof, compared to existing one, and gives a large generating force. The columnar ion conducting actuator includes a tubular member serving as a first electrode, an ion-supplying material disposed inside the tubular member, and linear second electrodes disposed inside the tubular member. The ion-supplying material lies between the inner wall of the tubular member and the second electrodes and includes a polymer gel containing positive ions and negative ions. The tubular member contains a plurality of the second electrodes. Either the positive ions or the negative ions contained in the polymer gel move toward the plurality of second electrodes side and the other ions move toward the inner wall side of the tubular member by applying a voltage between the tubular member and the plurality of the second electrodes to elongate the ion conducting actuator.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an actuator including a supporting portion including a first electrode, a second electrode disposed opposite the first electrode, and a part of a planar electrolyte member disposed therebetween, and having terminals configured to apply a voltage between the first and second electrodes; a displacement portion; and an intermediate portion disposed between the supporting portion and the displacement portion and including a third electrode on the electrolyte member and a conductive connecting member. The third electrode includes linear members and a conductive material. The linear members have major axes thereof extending in a direction crossing a direction from the supporting portion toward the displacement portion. The third electrode has conduction paths through which a current flows in the crossing direction. The conductive connecting member is electrically connected to one of the first and second electrodes and electrically connects the conduction paths together.

Abstract: An actuator with a sensor, including an actuator having a pair of electrodes and an ionic conduction layer present between the pair of electrodes, and a sensor having electrodes and an electromechanical conversion element. When the actuator is deformed, the sensor is also deformed. The relationship between the modulus of elasticity (A) of the actuator and the modulus of elasticity (S) of the sensor satisfies S<A.

Abstract: This invention provides a polymer actuator having a structure such that voltage can be efficiently applied to two or more actuator electrodes without directly providing an electrical contact point to an expanding and contracting portion. An actuator has: an insulating base material 1; a first terminal 2 for energizing provided contacting the insulating base material; a first actuator electrode 4 provided contacting the first terminal; an electrolyte layer 5 provided contacting the first actuator electrode; a second actuator electrode 6 provided contacting the electrolyte layer; a second terminal 3 for energizing provided spaced apart from the first terminal and contacting the insulating base material; an energization preventing portion 7 for preventing energization of the first terminal and the second terminal; and a connecting portion 8 provided contacting the energization preventing portion in order to energize the second actuator electrode and the second terminal.

Abstract: There is provided an actuator that can deform as an electrolyte moves, wherein at least one of a pair of electrode layers contains polymer fibers, and the polymer fibers contain an electroconductive material and are porous.

Abstract: A difference is arisen in the electric potential of the electrode layer between a fixed end portion and a displacement end portion of an actuator. The electrode layer includes a bundle of polymer fibers containing a conductive material. Longitudinal directions of the polymer fibers are arranged parallel to a direction from the fixed portion to the displacement end portion of the actuator.