A high-performance soft actuator based on a poly(vinylidene fluoride) piezoelectric bimorph

Compared with a single piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) sheet, a bimorph can enhance driving performance. The main aim of this work is to study a soft piezoelectric bimorph as an actuator used in a soft sail. PVDF samples were prepared using a high-temperature solvent evaporation method and were then drawn and poled. The crystalline phase, mechanical properties, piezoelectric property and energy-harvesting performance were analyzed. A PVDF piezoelectric bimorph was designed. The capacity of deformation of the parallel bimorph with a pulsed electric field was studied. The deformation of the sample increased almost linearly, and the deformation performance was obvious with the increase in voltage. To evaluate its driving performance in the engineering model, a sail made of Kapton was produced, and the PVDF bimorph was used as an actuator to drive the sail. The deformation was observed by a Video-Simultaneous Triangulation and Resection System. Furthermore, the finite element method was used to further understand the actuation effect of the Kapton sail matrix and PVDF bimorph actuator according to three different laying methods.