抄録
In this study, we evaluated a fundamental process to fabricate a flexible electrostatic microactuator fully made of elastomer. The flexible actuator driven by electrostatic force is suitable for microactuator because surface force is dominant compared with body force in micro level phenomenon. The flexible electrostatic actuator consists of two parallel flexible electrodes and a flexible insulation layer between electrodes. Although the flexible electrostatic microactuator will be potentially applied to an intelligent medical device such as an active catheter etc., there are some unresolved problems such as electrical insulation of actuator body and micro fabrication process for elastic conductive material. To solve these problems, we proposed fabrication processes of elastic conductive material for flexible electrode and pinhole-free elastomer film for flexible insulation layer. The flexible conductive material for electrode was made of thermoplastic elastomer with dispersed carbon black. In fabrication test of prototype actuator, breakdown of insulation layer was frequently observed. We expected this electrical breakdown problem arise from pinholes existing in insulation layer. Therefore, fabrication process was improved to get pinhole-free insulation layer and the fabricated layer was investigated.
