On-chip microelectrodes for electrochemistry with moveable PPy bilayer actuators as working electrodes

We present electrochemical microactuators which have all the electrodes necessary for the actuation—the working, counter, and reference electrodes—on-chip. This is a first step towards an all-polymer system, i.e., a system that does not require a liquid electrolyte. The microactuators' performance was as good as when standard, off-chip counter and reference electrodes were used.

Specifically, the speed of actuation was the same. In addition, we obtained a good cyclic voltammogram, although the oxidation and reduction peaks were shifted and some noise was present. Apart from application in an all-polymer system, we will also use these microactuators for studies on the effect of mechanical stimulation of living cells.