The project “Intelligent Polymer Materials as Actuators and Sensors for Soft Robotics Applications”, IntPoly, is based on the coupled interdisciplinary expertise of Sabine Ludwigs (polymer chemistry, materials science) and Holger Steeb (rheology, material modelling) and aims at novel intelligent polymer bilayer and 3D printed architectures which can adapt their mechanical properties to external fields and which shall be used as strain sensors on the one hand and as actuators and for actuated stiffening of soft robotics devices on the other hand.
Conducting polymers (CPs) such as poly (ethylenedioxythiophene) :poly (styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) have been identified as intelligent materials which actively adapt and respond to electric fields. Highly stretchable materials shall be prepared as compliant materials for soft robotics which involves the combination of CPs either with hydrogels or as blends with elastomers such as Ecoflex and Dragonskin.
