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With the characteristics of lightweight, low driving voltage and biocompatibility, ionic polymer-metal composites have attracted much attention in the field of soft-robotics and artificial muscles. This paper introduces the development of a novel design of a segmented tubular ionic-polymer metal composite (IPMC) actuator. This configuration allows a large bidirectional movement, paving the way for the development of intelligent and adaptable structures. In this study, the IPMC actuator is manufactured from a 40-mm long prefabricated Nafion polymer tube with an inner diameter of 1.3 mm and an outer diameter of 1.6 mm. The outer surface is plated via an electroless-plating process. The proposed tubular IPMC design consists of an additional inner electrode and two outer isolated segments, setting it apart from existing approaches. It includes a new coating method of the inner electrode, offering a more efficient and versatile solution for actuation and sensing applications. Preliminary experimental investigation is employed to characterize the electromechanical performance of the actuator, as well as to quantify the maximal angular bending. Furthermore, the presented results establish the operational principles of the innovative design and validate the proof-of-concept. The experimental results show improved performance compared to the state-of-the-art.
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