Sheath-run artificial muscles
Abstract
Materials that convert electrical, chemical, or thermal energy into a shape change can be used to form artificial muscles. Such materials include bimetallic strips or host-guest materials or coiled fibers or yarns (see the Perspective by Tawfick and Tang). Kanik et al. developed a polymer bimorph structure from an elastomer and a semicrystalline polymer where the difference in thermal expansion enabled thermally actuated artificial muscles. Iterative cold stretching of clad fibers could be used to tailor the dimensions and mechanical response, making it simple to produce hundreds of meters of coiled fibers. Mu et al. describe carbon nanotube yarns in which the volume-changing material is placed as a sheath outside the twisted or coiled fiber. This configuration can double the work capacity of tensile muscles. Yuan et al. produced polymer fiber torsional actuators with the ability to store energy that could be recovered on heating. Twisting mechanical deformation was applied to the fibers above the glass transition temperature and then stored via rapid quenching.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Jul 12, 2019
- Source ID
- 10.1126/science.aaw2403
Entities
People
- Chengyi Hou
- Dharshika Kongahage
- Dong Qian
- Dong Yeop Lee
- Enlai Gao
- Geoffrey M Spinks
- Hongbing Lu
- Hongzhi Wang
- Hyeon Jun Sim
- Hyun Kim
- Javad Foroughi
- Jiuke Mu
- Mônica Jung de Andrade
- Na Li
- Qinghong Zhang
- Ray H. Baughman
- Seon Jeong Kim
- Sepehr Talebian
- Shaoli Fang
- Shi Hyeong Kim
- Taylor H. Ware
- Xuemin Wang
- Yongwoo Jang
- Zhu Meifang
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Australian Research Council
- Donghua University
- Georgia Southern University
- Hanyang University
- Millipore Corporation
- Office of Naval Research
- Robert A. Welch Foundation
- Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission
- University of Texas at Dallas
- University of Wollongong
- Wuhan University