Electroactive Polymer Market Trends

Growth Drivers

• Increasing demand for soft robotics: EAPs are important in the soft robotics field owing to their inherent properties enabling seamless integration into soft actuators that can mimic biological movements. For instance, in August 2020, a group of researchers from Linköping University in Sweden used a specially designed extrusion-based 3D printer to create a set of microactuators for soft micro-robotics. The actuators have 4D capabilities because they are made of an electroactive polymer that, when exposed to an electrical charge, changes shape after printing. Thus, EAPs are becoming necessary to the evolution of soft robotics, transforming automation and human-robot interaction.

• Advancement in wearable technologies: The growing trend of innovative technology development includes sensor technology miniaturization and connectivity features. In addition, with AI and machine learning, the wearables began to deliver personal insights to individuals with suggestions aligning with one's health. Wearables in healthcare are becoming more popular, creating continuous data collection for improved treatment results. For instance, in August 2022, a group of researchers from Hong Kong University (HKU) created a wearable biosensing platform, Personalised Electronic Reader for Electrochemical Transistors (PERfECT). This platform is designed for digital health monitoring.  

Challenges

• Material stability and durability: The electroactive polymers undergo degradation due to humidity and temperature fluctuations or exposure to chemicals. Moreover, repeated cycling might have adverse effects on the mechanical properties of these polymers, thus potentially causing fatigue and reduced efficacy. Obstacles related to durability impact both design and production processes and therefore raise a concern regarding end use safety and reliability issues.

• Performance limitations: Although EAPs have some merits such as low weight, flexibility, and ability to mimic biological movements, most of them exhibit lower actuation speed, force output, and energy efficiency than traditional actuators. In addition, the response time of some EAP materials may not meet the requirements of high-speed applications, such as robotics and active control systems requiring rapid actuation. The operating range of these materials is also limited, complicating the achievement of desired displacements or stable performance under various loads.