Gas-soluble nanovoided polymers

1. An actuator comprising:

a primary electrode;

a secondary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the primary electrode;

a nanovoided polymer layer disposed between and abutting the primary electrode and the secondary electrode, the nanovoided polymer layer comprising a plurality of nanovoids dispersed throughout a polymer matrix; and

a sealing layer at least partially encapsulating the nanovoided polymer layer, wherein the nanovoids comprise a fill gas.

2. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix comprises an elastomer.

3. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the sealing layer is configured to retain the fill gas within the actuator.

4. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the sealing layer is configured to inhibit the ingress of contaminants into the actuator.

5. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the sealing layer comprises an elastomer.

6. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the sealing layer comprises at least one of poly(vinyl acetate), poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(ethylene vinyl alcohol), polyurethane, polyvinylidene fluoride, poly-chloro-trifluoroethylene, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane, chloro-fluoropolymers, and aliphatic or semi-aromatic polyamides.

7. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein a difference in Hildebrand solubility parameter between the fill gas and the sealing layer is at least 5 MPa 1/2 .

8. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein a mechanical stiffness of the sealing layer is less than a mechanical stiffness of the nanovoided polymer layer.

9. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the fill gas comprises at least one of Ar, N 2 , Kr, Xe, O 2 , SF 6 , CHF 3 , CF 4 , C 2 F 6 , C 3 F 8 , and air.

10. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein a difference in Hildebrand solubility parameter between the nanovoided polymer and the fill gas is less than 2 MPa 1/2 .

11. The actuator of claim 1 , further comprising a gas reservoir at least partially encapsulated by the sealing layer.

12. The actuator of claim 11 , further comprising a layer of getter material located within the gas reservoir.

13. The actuator of claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the polymer matrix is directly exposed to the gas reservoir.

14. An actuator comprising:

a primary electrode;

a secondary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the primary electrode;

a nanovoided polymer layer disposed between and abutting the primary electrode and the secondary electrode;

a fill gas located within nanovoids of the nanovoided polymer layer;

a hermetic sealing layer at least partially encapsulating the nanovoided polymer layer; and

a gas reservoir located proximate to the nanovoided polymer layer.

15. The actuator of claim 14 , wherein the sealing layer comprises an elastomer.

16. The actuator of claim 14 , wherein the sealing layer comprises at least one of poly(vinyl acetate), poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(ethylene vinyl alcohol), polyurethane, polyvinylidene fluoride, poly-chloro-trifluoroethylene, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane, chloro-fluoropolymers, and aliphatic or semi-aromatic polyamides.

17. The actuator of claim 14 , wherein the nanovoided polymer layer and the gas reservoir are encapsulated by the sealing layer.

18. A method comprising:

forming an actuator comprising a primary electrode, a secondary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the primary electrode, and a nanovoided polymer layer disposed between and abutting the primary electrode and the secondary electrode;

introducing a fill gas into nanovoids of the nanovoided polymer layer;

forming a sealing layer over the nanovoided polymer layer.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein introducing the fill gas into the nanovoids comprises:

placing the actuator within a vacuum processing chamber prior to forming the sealing layer;

evacuating the vacuum processing chamber; and

introducing the fill gas into the vacuum processing chamber.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the sealing layer is formed within the vacuum processing chamber after introducing the fill gas into the vacuum processing chamber.