Platinum has been used as an effective electrode material for Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites (IPMCs) actuators. Realizing that platinum is a strong catalyst for many electrochemical reactions, the platinum surface allows many components to be adsorbed. Therefore, under imposed electrical potentials, platinum electrodes used for IPMCs introduce complex electrochemical phenomena on the platinum/electrolyte interface. This study points out that the electrochemistry of platinum is important in understanding the fundamental actuation mechanism of IPMCs. Electrochemical analyses, including voltammetry, AC impedance, and capacitance measurements, on IPMC samples were carried out in aqueous solutions. The experiments revealed the complex electrochemical behavior of IPMCs, including inductive behavior in higher frequencies than had originally been expected. The Mott-Schottky experiment was also performed to investigate the charge transfer and the possible adsorption mechanism associated with IPMCs. Seemingly, the equivalent circuit of IPMC follows a RLC circuit.
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