A large-scale effort was carried out to test the performance of seven types of ionic electroactive polymer (IEAP) actuators in space-hazardous environmental factors in laboratory conditions. The results substantiate that the IEAP materials are tolerant to long-term freezing and vacuum environments as well as ionizing Gamma-, X-ray and UV radiation at the levels corresponding to low Earth orbit (LEO) conditions. The main aim of this material behaviour investigation is to understand and predict device service time for prolonged exposure to space environment.

The electromechanically and mechano-electrically active three-layered laminate composed of a Nafion membrane, carbide-derived carbon-based electrodes, and a 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulphonate ionic liquid electrolyte responds to humidity gradient and can therefore serve as a differential humidity sensor or an energy harvesting element. The hydrophilic nature of all constituents of the laminate promotes sorption and diffusion of water across the membrane, causing large volumetric effects. Diffusion of water and the formation of a hydration shell around the ionic groups reorient and dislocate the ionic liquid ions, which in turn induce the formation of an electric charge across the electrodes exposed to different levels of ambient humidity. The generated electric charge can be registered as a voltage or electric current between the electrodes. Furthermore, the supercapacitor-like properties of the laminate allow storage of the electric charge in the same laminate, where it was generated.