JP5049205B2 - Luminescent polymer actuator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a light emitting polymer actuator having a stress luminescent material that emits light when stress is applied from the outside, and capable of generating a driving force and at the same time illuminating the surroundings. The present invention relates to an arrangement of stress light emitters and a forming means.

  In recent years, stress light emitters that reversibly emit light in an elastic deformation region when subjected to mechanical external force at room temperature have been developed (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1). In recent years, polymer actuators that are bent and deformed in the air by applying a low voltage of about several volts have been developed (for example, see Non-Patent Document 2).

The applicant of the present application is developing a light-emitting polymer actuator that incorporates these stress light emitters into a polymer actuator to generate a driving force and at the same time enable illumination. In the process, FIG. As shown in the figure, the surface of a sheet-like polymer actuator 100 formed by arranging electrode layers 102 on both the front and back surfaces of the polymer electrolyte layer 101 is formed into a sheet by diffusing and filling stress-stimulated phosphor powder in a resin base material. It has been proposed that the stress-stimulated luminescent material 200 is bonded via an adhesive layer 300.
Stress-stimulated luminescent materials and their applications, Kyushu Industrial Technology Research Institute, Inorganic Composite Materials Department, Functional Ceramics Laboratory Xu Choo (Abstracts of lectures at the 1999 Kyushu Industrial Technology Research Institute Lecture Meeting) Polymer Actuator, Director of Artificial Cell Research Group, Cell Engineering Division, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) Atsushi Azumi ("Future Actuator Materials and Devices", CMC Publishing, published in December 2006)

  However, since the light emitting polymer actuator shown in FIG. 7 joins the polymer actuator 100 and the stress light emitting body 200, which are formed as independent separate bodies, via the adhesive layer 300, the light emitting polymer actuator can be used as a light emitting polymer actuator. This is the total thickness of the respective parts, and it is difficult to reduce the thickness. In addition, since the adhesive layer 300 becomes a load on the polymer actuator 100 and the deformation amount of the polymer actuator 100 is suppressed, the external force acting on the stress light emitter 200 is reduced, the luminance of the illumination unit is low, There is a problem that uneven brightness tends to occur. These problems are particularly prominent in the double-sided light emitting polymer actuator in which the stress light emitters 200 are provided on both the front and back surfaces of the polymer actuator 100.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve such a technical problem, and an object of the present invention is to generate a driving force and at the same time to be used for illumination. It is thin and the illumination quality of the illumination unit is good. It is another object of the present invention to provide a light-emitting polymer actuator using a stress-stimulated luminescent material that is simple to manufacture.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention is first formed inseparably from a polymer actuator in which electrode layers are arranged on both front and back surfaces of a polymer electrolyte layer, and a part of this polymer actuator. Ri Do from the stress light-emitting body, the stress light-emitting body, said one of the two electrode layers formed on both surfaces of the polymer electrolyte layer, spreading the stress luminescent particles in the surface layer portion of at least one electrode layer The structure is formed by filling or diffusion bonding .

According to such a configuration, since the stress light emitter is inseparably formed on a part of the polymer actuator, compared to the case where the polymer actuator and the stress light emitter formed separately are bonded via the adhesive layer. Thus, the thickness of the stress-stimulated luminescent material and the thickness of the adhesive layer can be reduced, and the light-emitting polymer actuator can be thinned. Further, since the adhesive layer can be omitted, the load on the polymer actuator is small, and the deformation amount of the polymer actuator can be increased. Therefore, since a large external force can be applied to the stress-stimulated illuminant, the luminance of the illuminating part can be increased and the luminance unevenness of the illuminating part can be reduced, and the illuminating quality is also good for the purpose of illumination. Diffusion filling is to uniformly disperse and embed additives (stress luminescent particles) inside the substrate (electrode layer). Diffusion bonding means to uniformly add additives to the surface of the substrate. It is to disperse and fix. In this manner, when stress-stimulated luminescent particles are diffusely filled or diffusion-bonded to the surface layer portion of the electrode layer, the stress-stimulated luminescent part can be uniformly formed on the surface of the polymer actuator, and thus light emission having a planar illumination part It can be set as a conductive polymer actuator.

The present invention is the second, the in the first light-emitting polymer actuator, the at least one electrode layer is made of a conductive filler in a resin base material from those diffused filled, the stress light-emitting body, the resin The structure is such that the stress-stimulated luminescent particles are diffusion-filled or diffusion-bonded to the surface layer portion of the substrate.

  According to this configuration, since the stress light emitter can be formed at the same time when the electrode layer is formed in the polymer actuator, the polymer actuator and the stress light emitter, which are formed separately, are joined via the adhesive layer. Compared to the case, the manufacturing process of the light-emitting polymer actuator can be simplified, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

The present invention is the third in the first light-emitting polymer actuator, the concentration of the stress luminescent particles diffused filled into the resin substrate, toward the surface side than the inner side of the resin base material Is configured to increase the concentration.

  The light emitted from the stress-stimulated luminescent particles is not as attenuated by the resin substrate as the light emitted from the stress-stimulated luminescent particles arranged at a position closer to the surface of the resin substrate, which is advantageous in increasing the luminance of the illumination part. is there. In addition, since the light emission from the stress luminescent particles arranged deeper inside the resin base material has a lower contribution to the brightness of the illuminated part, many stress luminescent particles are arranged deep inside the resin base material. Even so, the stress-stimulated luminescent particles are wasted. Therefore, by making the concentration of the stress luminescent particles higher on the surface side than on the inner side of the resin base material, it is possible to obtain a high-luminance and low-cost luminescent polymer actuator.

According to the present invention, a light-emitting polymer actuator includes a polymer actuator in which electrode layers are disposed on both front and back surfaces of a polymer electrolyte layer, and a stress-stimulated luminescent part formed inseparably on a part of the polymer actuator. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the light-emitting polymer actuator as compared with the case where the polymer actuator and the stress-stimulated light-emitting body formed separately are joined via the adhesive layer. In addition, since the adhesive layer can be omitted, the load on the polymer actuator is small, a large external force can be applied to the stress-stimulated luminescent material, and the light-emitting polymer actuator with good illumination quality of the illumination unit can be obtained.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a light-emitting polymer actuator according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a luminescent polymer actuator according to the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a luminescent polymer actuator according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a diffusion filling of stress-stimulated luminescent particles in the electrode layer. FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the state of diffusion bonding of stress-stimulated luminescent particles on the surface of the electrode layer, and FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating the concentration distribution of stress-stimulated luminescent particles in the electrode layer. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a shape change at the time of light emission of the light emitting polymer actuator according to each embodiment.

  The light-emitting polymer actuator 1A according to the first embodiment is a single-sided light emitting type, and as shown in FIG. 1, the stress light-emitting body 20 is inseparably integrated with a part near one surface of the polymer actuator 10. It has a provided configuration. On the other hand, the light emitting polymer actuator 1B according to the second embodiment is a double-sided light emitting type, and as shown in FIG. The part 20 is inseparably provided.

  The polymer actuator 10 includes a polymer electrolyte layer 11 and electrode layers 12 and 13 formed on both front and back surfaces of the polymer electrolyte layer 11. A predetermined voltage is applied between the electrode layers 12 and 13. By doing so, as shown in FIG. 6, it is curved and deformed so that the front side is convex or the back side is convex.

  The polymer electrolyte layer 11 belongs to a publicly known type such as a conductive polymer type, an aqueous or non-aqueous ion conductive polymer type, an electrolytic solution swelling type to an ion exchange membrane or a porous resin, and a solid or gel electrolyte type. Any polymer electrolyte material can be used, but since it can be stably driven in the air without sealing, it is particularly desirable to use a polymer type of a solid or gel electrolyte. Examples of the polymer type polymer electrolyte layer 11 of the solid or gel electrolyte include those listed at http://www.kuraray.co.jp/release/2007/pdf/070413.pdf.

  Of the electrode layers 12 and 13, at least the electrode layer on which the stress-stimulated luminescent portion 20 is formed is formed by diffusing and filling the conductive filler 15 in the resin base material 14. Therefore, for the single-sided light emitting polymer actuator, one electrode layer can be formed by diffusing and filling the conductive filler 15 in the resin base material 14, and the other electrode layer can be formed by a metal material. In addition, the two electrode layers 12 and 13 can both be formed by diffusing and filling the conductive filler 15 in the resin base material 14.

  The stress-stimulated luminescent part 20 can be formed by diffusing and filling the stress-stimulated luminescent particles 22 in the surface layer portions of the electrode layers 12 and 13 as shown in FIG. 3, or as shown in FIG. It can also be formed by diffusion-bonding stress-stimulated luminescent particles 22 to the surfaces 12 and 13. When the stress luminescent particles 22 are diffusion-filled in the surface layer portions of the electrode layers 12 and 13, the formation of the stress luminescent portion 20 can be facilitated and the total thickness of the luminescent polymer actuator can be reduced. It is desirable to form the stress-stimulated luminescent part 20 by diffusing and filling the stress-stimulated luminescent particles 22 into the resin base material 14 constituting the layers 12 and 13. Further, when the stress-stimulated luminescent particles 22 are diffusion-bonded to the surfaces of the electrode layers 12 and 13, since the formation of the stress-stimulated luminescent parts 20 and 21 can be facilitated, as shown in FIG. It is desirable to form the stress-stimulated luminescent portion 20 by bonding the stress-stimulated luminescent particles 22 with the resin base material 14 constituting the binder as a bonding agent.

  In the case where the stress-stimulated luminescent particles 22 are diffusion-filled in the surface layer portions of the electrode layers 12 and 13, as shown by the solid line (1) in FIG. Regardless of the thickness, the concentration of the stress-stimulated luminescent particles 22 with respect to the resin base material 14 constituting the electrode layers 12 and 13 can be made constant, or as shown by the broken line (2) and the chain line (3), The concentration of the stress-stimulated luminescent particles 22 that are diffused and filled in the material 14 can be higher on the surface side than on the inner side of the electrode layer. The light emitted from the stress-stimulated luminescent particles 22 is less attenuated by the resin substrate 14 than the stress-stimulated luminescent particles 22 arranged at a position closer to the surface of the resin substrate 14. This is advantageous. Therefore, by increasing the concentration of the stress-stimulated luminescent particles 22 on the surface side of the resin base material 14 constituting the electrode layers 12 and 13, the luminance of the luminescent polymer actuator is increased, and Waste of the stress-stimulated luminescent particles 22 can be prevented.

  In addition, in order to protect this from the mechanical or chemical bad influence on the surface of the stress light-emitting body part 20, a protective film can also be coat | covered. As the protective film, a flexible transparent plastic can be used.

  When a predetermined voltage is applied to the electrode layers 12 and 13, the light emitting polymer actuators 1 </ b> A and 1 </ b> B according to the embodiment are arranged such that the polymer actuator 10 has a convex surface or a back surface as shown in FIG. 6. Deforms so that the side is convex. Of course, the polymer actuator 10 can be vibrated by applying a pulsed voltage to the electrode layers 12 and 13. As described above, when the polymer actuator 10 is deformed or vibrated, an external force is applied to the stress light emitter portion 20 formed on the surface layer portion of the electrode layers 12 and 13, so that the stress light emitter particles 22 emit light due to the stress. It functions as a light-emitting polymer actuator having the surfaces of the electrode layers 12 and 13 as illumination parts.

  The light-emitting polymer actuators 1A and 1B according to the embodiment are integrated with the surface layer portions of the electrode layers 12 and 13 in the polymer actuator 10 in which the electrode layers 12 and 13 are arranged on both the front and back surfaces of the polymer electrolyte layer 11. Since the stress light emitter portion 20 is inseparably formed, the thickness of the stress light emitter is larger than that in the case where the polymer actuator and the stress light emitter formed separately are bonded via an adhesive layer. And the thickness of the adhesive layer can be reduced, and the light emitting polymer actuator can be made thinner. In addition, since the adhesive layer can be omitted, the load on the polymer actuator 10 can be reduced, a large external force can be applied to the stress-stimulated illuminant section 20, and the luminescent polymer with good illumination quality of the illumination section. It can be an actuator.

It is sectional drawing of the luminescent polymer actuator which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the light emitting polymer actuator which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is principal part sectional drawing which shows the diffusion filling state of the stress luminescent particle | grains in an electrode layer. It is principal part sectional drawing which shows the diffusion bonding state of the stress light-emitting body particle | grains in the surface of an electrode layer. It is a graph which illustrates the density | concentration distribution of the stress light-emitting body particle | grains in an electrode layer. It is explanatory drawing which shows the shape change at the time of light emission of the luminescent polymer actuator which concerns on embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the light emitting polymer actuator which concerns on a prior art example.

Explanation of symbols

1A, 1B Light-Emitting Polymer Actuator 10 Polymer Actuator 11 Polymer Electrolyte Layer 12, 13 Electrode Layer 14 Resin Base Material 15 Conductive Filler 20 Stress Light Emitting Part 22 Stress Light Emitter Particle

Claims (3)

A polymer actuator formed by arranging an electrode layer on both sides of the polymer electrolyte layer, Ri Do from the inseparably-formed stress light-emitting body in a part of the polymer actuator,
The stress-stimulated luminescent part is formed by diffusion-filling or diffusion-bonding stress-stimulated luminescent particles on the surface layer part of at least one of the two electrode layers formed on the front and back surfaces of the polymer electrolyte layer. A light-emitting polymer actuator. The at least one electrode layer is made of a resin base material in which a conductive filler is diffusion-filled, and the stress light emitter part is formed by diffusion-filling or diffusion-bonding stress light emitter particles to a surface layer part of the resin base material. emitting polymer actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that. 3. The luminescent property according to claim 2 , wherein the concentration of the stress-stimulated luminescent particles filled in the resin base material is higher on the surface side than on the inner side of the resin base material . Polymer actuator.

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