Efficiency of a micro pump driven by conducting polymer soft actuator with open/close movement

In recent years, the research of micro pumps are actively conducted with the rise of MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) technology. In this study the authors have realized the micro pump driven by conducting polymer soft actuator that perform open/close movement based on polypyrrole and measured their performance. It could adjust flow rates in the approximately 2 – 83 [µl/min] and easily change the pressure. The micro pump could transport fluid even with the viscosity that is 400 times as large as that of water. Moreover, the micro pump could transport fluid with an energy consumption rate less than half those of the conventional micro pumps.