Steerable Microcatheters Actuated by Embedded Conducting Polymer Structures

Steerable microstructures, i.e., catheters, are presented. They exploit the electromechanochemical phenomena of ir-electron conjugated conducting polymers occurring when ionic species are exchanged with the surrounding medium. In this paper we considered polypyrrole as conducting polymer and a fast ionic conductor solid polyelectrolyte as ionic reservoir. Experimental determination of the governing material constants, modelling of conducting polymer/solid polyelectrolyte composite material and finite element computer simulations of the mechanical properties of cylindrical structures provide favourable indication about the feasibility of effective steerable, miniaturised catheters.