Frequency Response of Honeycomb Structured IPMC Actuator Fabricated through 3D Printing with Dispersion Liquid

Ionic Polymer Metal Composites (IPMCs) have tremendous potential in the field of soft robotics, but their applications are currently limited by the restraints of the fabrication process. This paper introduces a fabrication method that produces thinner 3D structures, which is advantageous for use in micro soft robots. In this study, a honeycomb structured IPMC actuator was fabricated through 3D printing with dispersion liquid that utilizes water and propanol as a solvent. The frequency response of the prototype was measured to evaluate the fabricated microstructure and the results show that the proposed method to manufacture IPMC actuators with microstructures was successful.