M. R. Nateghia, M. Borhani zarandib, and A. Fathib
a Department of Chemistry, Yazd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Yazd, Iran
b Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
e-mail: mnateghi@iauyazd.ac.ir
Received October 16, 2013;
Revised Manuscript Received February 26, 2014
Abstract—Polypyrrole-polyethylene glycol (PPy–PEG) composite films were synthesized on stainless
steel electrode by electrochemical method. Presence of PEG as a plasticizing polymer in the solution of
polymerization strongly affects the morphological and swelling characteristics of the composite films.
Results indicated that the increase in PEG weight percent to 0.07 leads to bi-layer actuators that move
faster 18% than those made by neat polypyrrole. However, with further increase in PEG weight percent,
the rate of movement decreases. On the other hand, at the same time, the efficiency of electrical energy
conversion to the mechanical work decreases as wt% of the PEG is increased. SEM pictures of electro-
chemically synthesized PPy and PPy–PEG layers prepared at the presence of various amounts of PEG
showed that the thick layer of PPy is a cauliflower and granular structure. However PPy–PEG composites
have a more integrate structure and smooth surface including small pores required to penetrate the counter
ions.
DOI: 10.1134/S0965545X14050137
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