Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites for Underwater Operation

Authors

Kwang J. Kim, University of Nevada - RenoFollow
Woosoon Yim, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Jason W. Paquette, University of Nevada - RenoFollow
Doyeon Kim, University of Nevada - RenoFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-2007

Publication Title

Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures

Volume

18

Issue

2

First page number:

123

Last page number:

131

Abstract

The ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) for flexible hydrodynamic propulsor blades can provide many new opportunities in navy platforms, especially in unmanned, robotic vehicles used in surveillance and combat. When in operation, the IPMC materials are very quiet since they have no vibration causing components, i.e., gears, motors, shafts, etc. For small autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV), this feature is truly attractive. IPMCs are friendly to solid-state electronics and have digital programming capabilities; thus, active control is possible. Another advantage of these materials is that they can be operational in a self-oscillatory manner. However, there are several issues that still need to be addressed: propulsor design, testing, robotic control, and the theoretical modeling of the appropriate design. Currently, the IPMC is being investigated for propulsor blade applications and a propulsor model with a robust control scheme. An analytical model of a segmented IPMC propulsor was formulated to be a building block for accommodating the relaxation behavior of IPMCs and for describing the dynamics of the flexible IPMC bending actuator.

Keywords

Autonomous underwater vehicles; Blades; Ionic polymer-metal composite; Metal-filled plastics; Remote submersibles

Disciplines

Engineering | Materials Science and Engineering | Mechanical Engineering | Metallurgy | Ocean Engineering

Language

English

Permissions

Use Find in Your Library, contact the author, or interlibrary loan to garner a copy of the item. Publisher policy does not allow archiving the final published version. If a post-print (author's peer-reviewed manuscript) is allowed and available, or publisher policy changes, the item will be deposited.

Repository Citation

Kim, K. J., Yim, W., Paquette, J. W., Kim, D. (2007). Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites for Underwater Operation. Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, 18(2), 123-131.