Electroactive Polymer Blends

Electroactive polymers (EAPs) are a versatile class of smart polymers that have the ability to deform when excited by electrical potentials due to their inherent electro-mechanical properties. This unique functionality of EAPs has various applications in sensors, actuators, energy transducers, and energy harvesters. EAP blends are made by combining one or two polymers with EAPs to improve the shortcomings of EAPs, including electrical responsiveness, mechanical flexibility, and multifunctionality. This chapter introduces the design principles and fabrication methods of EAP blends, as well as the recent progress in three types of electronic EAP blends including polyvinylidene fluoride-based blends, dielectric elastomer-based blends, and plasticized polymer gel-based blends.