ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a detailed description of various techniques and experimental procedures in manufacturing ionic polymer-metal nanocomposites (IPMNCs) that, if fully developed, can be used as effective biomimetic sensors, actuators, and artificial muscles. The performance of those IPMNCs manufactured by different manufacturing techniques is presented and described. In particular, a number of issues, such as force optimization using the Taguchi design of experiment technique, effects of different cations on electromechanical performance of IPMNCs, electrode and particle size and distribution control, surface electroding, manufacturing cost minimization approaches by physical loading techniques, scaling and three-dimensional muscle production issues, and heterogeneous composites, are also reviewed and compiled.
