Experimental Analysis of the Effect of Mechanical Topology on the Surface of Biological Microgripper Made of Ionic-Polymer Metal Composite Smart Material

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

2 Modern Automotive Research Center, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

This paper aims to discuss the electromechanical behavior of an ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) with electrodes made of platinum and polymeric membrane made of Nafion-117 in the structure of a gripper. Two methods are used in this research; the experimental method and the finite element method. After producing an IPMC with the mentioned properties and setting the gripper structure, the generated blocking force was measured and its ability to lift and move two external specimens made of aluminum and fish egg with a radius of     m was evaluated. The Same analysis was done by the finite element method. The magnitude of the distributed load is approximately equal to . The surface area of the sample is equal to . After conducting the statistical calculations, the concentrated force on the tip of the beam is  and the results of the two methods are consistent with each other with an error of . When a concentrated force is applied to the spherical sample, both pure aluminum and fish egg materials experience an identical maximum stress of . The maximum displacement for the aluminum sample is , and for the fish egg sample, it is . It has been concluded that this gripper is able to lift and move the mentioned samples and IPMC is a biocompatible material since it is compatible with the bio-sample (fish egg) considered in this research.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Mechanics of Advanced Composite Structures
Volume 13, Issue 1 - Serial Number 27
In Progress
April 2026
Pages 143-156

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