Mechanical and bending properties of a conductive thin single layer composite consisting of carbon nanofibers and polypyrrole

A new conductive composite material with conductive polymer and carbon nanofibers (CNF) was developed to improve some problems such as a slow response and a low actuating force. The disadvantage has been improved in this study by means of using a single layer thin film of PPy (polypyrrole) and conductive composites consisting of CNF and PPy. The composite films were successfully fabricated by the electrophoretic and polymerization method newly developed. The tension tests results show that the strain of CNF/PPy decreases as CNF weight ratio increases. The bending actuation occurs for both pure PPy and CNF/PPy single layer films when an electric current was applied. The tip deflections of the films varied in the range 0.5mm to 2mm. Tension tests were performed with 0%, 3%, 5%, and 7% weight ratios of CNF's. Specimens with a higher CNF ratio showed larger moduli.