Polymer Actuators: From Fabrication to Application

Dear Colleagues,

Synthetic polymer actuators have attracted increasing attention for their potential applications in artificial muscles, soft robotics, and sensors. In the past few years, researchers have been working on the design and fabrication of actuators based on their structures (bilayer, heterogeneous or patterned films) and responsiveness (heat, light, humidity, and organic solvents). However, there are still many obstacles in the way of the practical application of these actuators.

This Special Issue will report on advances in the design and utilization of polymer actuators for practical application, such as sensors, robotics, motors, and three-dimensional (3D) frameworks. The scope includes, but is not restricted to, responsive polymers, the novel design of actuators, smart sensors, the novel design of robots, as well as other complex systems with actuators as elements, which will facilitate the development of polymer actuators for special applications.

In particular, this Special Issue will welcome manuscripts that cover topics including, but not limited to, the following:

1. The design and fabrication of responsive polymers;
2. Polymer actuators with novel structures;
3. The mechanisms of natural actuators;
4. Polymer actuators for soft robotics;
5. Polymer actuators for smart sensors;
6. Polymer actuators for 3D frameworks;
7. Polymer actuators for motors;
8. Others

Dr. Feilong Zhang
Dr. Man Yang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Actuators is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• Polymer actuator
• Smart sensor
• Soft robotics
• Motors
• 3D frameworks