Towards Programmable Materials - Tunable Material Properties Through Feedback Control of Conducting Polymers

Abstract

This work is focused on developing an integrated device, called a programmable material, which mirrors the capabilities of natural co-fabricated controlled actuation systems such as muscle. While such a device may have the external appearance of a homogeneous material, it can possess unique properties not existing in any manufactured material. When actuation, sensing, and control capabilities are integrated within a closed-loop system, the mechanical properties of the system such as stiffness, viscosity, and inertia will arise from the dynamics of the feedback loop rather than from any inherent mechanical properties of the materials from which the device was fabricated. Moreover, these properties may be 'tuned' by altering the feedback parameters embedded in the material system. With this approach properties such as negative stiffness may be generated which do not exist in bulk materials.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2008
Accession Number
ADA505671

Entities

People

  • I. W. Hunter
  • N. S. Wiedenman

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Human Systems
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Carbonate Esters
  • Closed Loop Systems
  • Conductive Polymers
  • Control Systems
  • Dielectric Polymers
  • Dielectrics
  • Electrochemical Cells
  • Electronic Components
  • Fabrication
  • Feedback
  • Geometry
  • Materials
  • Materials Processing
  • Materials Science
  • Modulus Of Elasticity
  • Semiconductors
  • Stiffness

Readers

  • Mechanical Engineering/Mechanics of Materials.
  • Robotics and Automation.
  • Systems Analysis and Design