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Noncovalently polymer-grafted carbon nanotube-enhanced PEDOT: PSS composite films: electrical properties and electrically driven actuation

Polymer Journal (2026) Cite this article

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Abstract

In this study, pyrene-functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) was synthesized and noncovalently grafted onto the surface of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (mwCNTs) via π–π stacking interactions between the pyrene groups and the mwCNTs. The grafted CNTs exhibited excellent water dispersibility and could be stably incorporated into the aqueous dispersion of the conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS), enabling the fabrication of uniform composite conductive films. These films exhibit rapid actuation in response to temperature changes induced by an applied electric field, and are characterized by volumetric contraction. The results indicated that the incorporation of grafted CNTs significantly improved the electrical conductivity, decreased the mechanical shrinkage stress, and improved the applied voltage/temperature response performance of the composite films. In addition, considering the potential applications in low-voltage-driven electrochemical actuators and capacitive energy storage, the energy storage capability and interfacial charge transfer behavior of the composite film electrodes were investigated via electrochemical characterization. On the basis of the aforementioned properties, flexible polyethylene substrates with electrically driven physical actuators and composite film origami design actuators were fabricated, which demonstrated a fast response.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Professor Masayuki Yagi and Professor Akira Baba (Niigata University) for providing the electrochemical analysis system (HZ 7000, Hokuto Denko), which was used to complete the electrochemical property tests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan

    Zhu Mingze, Eisuke Honda & Takeshi Yamauchi

  2. Department of Materials Science and Technology, Faculty of Engineering, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan

    Norio Tsubokawa & Takeshi Yamauchi

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  1. Zhu Mingze
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  2. Eisuke Honda
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Correspondence to Takeshi Yamauchi.

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Zhu, M., Honda, E., Tsubokawa, N. et al. Noncovalently polymer-grafted carbon nanotube-enhanced PEDOT: PSS composite films: electrical properties and electrically driven actuation. Polym J (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-026-01184-3

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