Increasing research and development efforts have been dedicated to the field of electroresponsive polymers (ERPs), including the development of materials and devices. In addition to their exceptional physical properties and low manufacturing costs, these materials also show remarkable charge storage and electrical properties. One particular class of these materials is the electroactive polymer (EAP), or artificial muscle - a new type of smart material with a broad range of potential applications such as electromechanical devices, energy storage devices, artificial muscles, air filtration, insulation, etc. This book shows research and commercial advances in the field and highlights the significant industry involvement: 3M is implementing piezomaterials in stethoscopes; Measurement Specialties Inc. highlights a range products employing PVDF sensors and EMFIT Ltd. presents ferroelectrets, in which microporous polymers show a piezoelectric coefficient at the level of ~300 pC/N. Additional topics include: sensors and their applications; polymer actuators and their applications; and polymer dielectrics and charge storage applications.
