TY - JOUR
T1 - Optimising Sodium Borohydride Reduction of Platinum onto Nafion-117 in the Electroless Plating of Ionic Polymer–Metal Composites
AU - Manaf, Eyman
AU - Fitzpatrick, Daniel P.
AU - Higginbotham, Clement L.
AU - Lyons, John G.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 by the authors.
PY - 2024/9
Y1 - 2024/9
N2 - The effects of process parameters on the electroless plating of ionic polymer–metal composites (IPMCs) were studied in this work. Specifically, the NaBH4 reduction of platinum onto Nafion-117 was characterised. The effects of the concurrent variation of NaBH4 concentration, stir time and temperature on surface resistance were studied through a full factorial design. The three-factor three-level factorial design resulted in 27 runs. Surface resistance was measured using a four-point probe. A regression model with an R2 value of 97.45% was obtained. Surface resistance was found to decrease with increasing stir time (20 to 60 min) and temperature (20 to 60 °C). These responses were attributed to increased platinisation rates, resulting in more uniform electrode deposition, confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDAX) analysis. Surface resistance decreased, going from 1% to 5% NaBH4 concentration, but increased from 5% to 10% concentration. This behaviour was attributed to surface morphology: increased grain size inducing porous electrodes, in line with findings in the literature. The maximum tip displacement, measured through a computer vision system, as well as the maximum blocking force, measured through an analytical balance setup, were obtained for all 27 samples. The varying results were discussed with regards to surface and cross-sectional SEMs, alongside EDAX analysis.
AB - The effects of process parameters on the electroless plating of ionic polymer–metal composites (IPMCs) were studied in this work. Specifically, the NaBH4 reduction of platinum onto Nafion-117 was characterised. The effects of the concurrent variation of NaBH4 concentration, stir time and temperature on surface resistance were studied through a full factorial design. The three-factor three-level factorial design resulted in 27 runs. Surface resistance was measured using a four-point probe. A regression model with an R2 value of 97.45% was obtained. Surface resistance was found to decrease with increasing stir time (20 to 60 min) and temperature (20 to 60 °C). These responses were attributed to increased platinisation rates, resulting in more uniform electrode deposition, confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDAX) analysis. Surface resistance decreased, going from 1% to 5% NaBH4 concentration, but increased from 5% to 10% concentration. This behaviour was attributed to surface morphology: increased grain size inducing porous electrodes, in line with findings in the literature. The maximum tip displacement, measured through a computer vision system, as well as the maximum blocking force, measured through an analytical balance setup, were obtained for all 27 samples. The varying results were discussed with regards to surface and cross-sectional SEMs, alongside EDAX analysis.
KW - electroactive polymer
KW - electroless plating
KW - ionic polymer–metal composite
KW - soft actuator
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85205120915&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/act13090350
DO - 10.3390/act13090350
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85205120915
SN - 2076-0825
VL - 13
JO - Actuators
JF - Actuators
IS - 9
M1 - 350
ER -