Fabrication of Cellulose Nanofiber Actuators by One-Step Adhesion of the Conducting Fabric Electrodes

In this study, we have examined a mechanism to fabricate cellulose nanofiber actuators using conducting fabrics. The conducting fabrics were successfully attached to both the layers of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO)-oxidized cellulose nanofiber (TCNF) films using a simple heat-press method,and the obtained actuators functioned as bending-type actuators. TCNF exhibits a polyelectrolyte structure and can induce iontophoresis under an applied electric field. The observed bending motion of the TCNF actuators can be attributed to iontophoresis when an electric potential was applied. The fabrication method reported herein does not require the usual electroless plating processes but requires only the simple heatpress processes to adhere the conducting fabrics onto the TCNF film. It is expected that this simple approach will result in new possibilities and promote the development of polymer actuators based on cellulose nanofibers.