An arm-like electrothermal actuator based on superaligned carbon nanotube/polymer composites
Source abstract
Abstract
A superaligned carbon nanotube film embedded in polymers shows promising applications in the fields of electrothermal actuation because of their homogenous conductivity, good biocompatibility and mechanical properties. We fabricated a simple U-shaped gadget from the composite to investigate the electrothermal actuation mechanism. The gadget can curl to 730°, which is several times larger than existing actuators. A helix-shaped arm-like actuator (artificial arm) was also made from the composite, which exhibited a large twisting deformation (more than 700° twisting, 49.2% length constriction and 26.4% diameter constriction) when driven with low electrical fields (less than 500 V/m or 41 V). The actuation of the U-shaped gadget and the artificial arm can be precisely controlled by the applied voltage or electrical power. The gripping force of the clenched arm is about 4 g, 26 times its own weight. This points to a new way for manipulating objects and its potential application in the biomimetic field.
Source: expertdata · Quality: candidate unverified · Source record ↗
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials · Dielectric materials and actuators · Advanced Materials and Mechanics
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (34)
Show source-provided references
1. Giant-stroke, superelastic carbon nanotube aerogel muscles[J]10.1126/science.1168312 ↗
2. Interpenetrating polymer networks for high-performance electroelastomer artificial muscles[J]10.1002/adma.200502437 ↗
3. Tunable photothermal actuators based on a pre-programmed aligned nanostructure[J]?10.1021/jacs.5b10131 ↗
4. Electroactive polymers as artificial muscles: a review[J]10.2514/2.3902 ↗
5. Artificial muscle technology: physical principles and naval prospects[J]10.1109/JOE.2004.833135 ↗
6. Polymer artificial muscles[J]10.1016/S1369-7021(07)70048-2 ↗
7. A curvature-controllable, convex-mirror actuator based on carbon nanotube film composites[J]10.1016/j.carbon.2015.09.107 ↗
8. Soft actuators and robots that are resistant to mechanical damage[J]10.1002/adfm.201303676 ↗
9. Conducting polymer artificial muscles[J]10.1016/0379-6779(96)80158-5 ↗
10. Advances in dielectric elastomers for actuators and artificial muscles[J]10.1002/marc.200900425 ↗
11. A large-deformation phase transition electrothermal actuator based on carbon nanotube-elastomer composites[J]10.1039/C5TB02715B ↗
12. High-speed electrically actuated elastomers with strain greater than 100%[J]10.1126/science.287.5454.836 ↗
13. Mouldable liquid-crystalline elastomer actuators with exchangeable covalent bonds[J]10.1038/nmat3812 ↗
14. High-strain actuator materials based on dielectric elastomers[J]10.1002/1521-4095(200008)12:16<1223::AID-ADMA1223>3.0.CO;2-2 ↗
15. High electromechanical response of ionic polymer actuators with controlled-morphology aligned carbon nanotube/nafion nanocomposite electrodes[J]10.1002/adfm.201000570 ↗
16. An interface nanostructured array guided high performance electrochemical actuator[J]10.1039/C4TA04268A ↗
17. Electrothermal actuation based on carbon nanotube network in silicone elastomer[J]10.1063/1.2955513 ↗
18. A spongy graphene based bimorph actuator with ultra-large displacement towards biomimetic application[J]10.1039/C4NR02768J ↗
19. Low-voltage and high-performance electrothermal actuator based on multi-walled carbon nanotube/polymer composites[J]10.1016/j.carbon.2014.12.012 ↗
20. Electrical conductivity of individual carbon nanotubes[J]10.1038/382054a0 ↗
21. The synergetic effect of carbon nanotubes and carbon black in a rubber system[J]
22. Preparation and characterization of polymethylmethacrylate/aligned SWCNT composites with by repeated stretching[J]
23. Externally induced thermal actuation of polymer nanocomposites[J]10.1002/macp.201100068 ↗
24. Twistable and bendable actuator: a cnt/polymer sandwich structure driven by thermal gradient[J]10.1088/0957-4484/23/7/075501 ↗
25. A spongy graphene based bimorph actuator with ultra-large displacement towards biomimetic application[J]10.1039/C4NR02768J ↗
26. High strength nanocomposite hydrogel bilayer with bidirectional bending and shape switching behaviors for soft actuators[J]10.1039/C4RA14545C ↗
27. High-performance, low-voltage, and easy-operable bending actuator based on aligned carbon nanotube/polymer composites[J]10.1021/nn102251a ↗
28. Large-deformation curling actuators based on carbon nanotube composite: advanced-structure design and biomimetic application[J]10.1021/acsnano.5b05413 ↗
29. Large-strain, multiform movements from designable electrothermal actuators based on large highly anisotropic carbon nanotube sheets[J]10.1021/nn505535k ↗
30. Self-oriented regular arrays of carbon nanotubes and their field emission properties[J]10.1126/science.283.5401.512 ↗
31. Controlled growth of super-aligned carbon nanotube arrays for spinning continuous unidirectional sheets with tunable physical properties[J]10.1021/nl0723073 ↗
32. Preparation and application of aligned carbon nanotube/polymer composite material10.6023/A12030024 ↗
33. Nanotechnology: spinning continuous carbon nanotube yarns – carbon nanotubes weave their way into a range of imaginative macroscopic applications.[J]10.1038/419801a ↗
34. Superaligned carbon nanotube arrays, films, and yarns: a road to applications[J]10.1002/adma.201003989 ↗