Ionic Electroactive Polymer Actuators with Aligned Carbon Nanotube/Nafion Nanocomposite Electrodes

2011 ◽  
Vol 1304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Liu ◽  
Sheng Liu ◽  
Hülya Cebeci ◽  
Roberto Guzman de Villoria ◽  
Jun-Hong Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanotube ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Composite Electrodes ◽  
Ionic Polymer ◽  
Electromechanical Performance ◽  
Vertically Aligned ◽  
Controlled Morphology ◽  
Fast Ion ◽  
Actuation Strain

ABSTRACTRecent advances in fabricating controlled-morphology vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VA-CNTs) with ultrahigh volume fraction create unique opportunities for markedly improving the electromechanical performance of ionic polymer conductor network composite actuators (IPCNCs). Actuator experiments show that the continuous paths through inter-VA-CNT channels and low electrical conduction resistance due to the continuous CNTs in the composite electrodes of the IPCNC lead to fast ion transport and actuation speed (>10% strain/second). One critical issue in developing advanced actuator materials is how to suppress or eliminate unwanted strains generated under electric stimulation, which reduce the actuation efficiency and also the actuation strains. We observe that the VA-CNTs in the composite electrodes yields non-isotropic elastic modulus that suppresses the unwanted strain and markedly enhances the actuation strain (>8% strain under 4 volts). A transmission line model has been developed to understand the electrical properties of the actuator device.

Enhanced Electromechanical Responses of IPCNC Actuators

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Liu ◽  
Sheng Liu ◽  
Hulya Cebeci ◽  
Roberto G. de Villoria ◽  
Jun-Hong Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
High Volume ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Composite Electrodes ◽  
Ionic Polymer ◽  
Electromechanical Responses ◽  
Electromechanical Performance ◽  
Vertically Aligned ◽  
Anisotropic Elastic

In this presentation, we will show several progresses in Ionic Polymer Conductor Network Composite Actuators (IPCNC) studies. First of all, we successfully fabricated ultra high volume fraction vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VA-CNTs)/polymer composite electrodes which markedly improved the electromechanical performance of IPCNC actuators. The experimental results show that the continuous paths through inter-VA-CNT channels and low electrical conduction resistance due to the continuous CNTs lead to fast actuation speed (>10% strain/second). The experimental results also demonstrate that the VA-CNTs create anisotropic elastic property in the composite electrodes, which suppresses the vertical strain and markedly enhances the actuation strain (>8% strain under 4 volts). The data here show the promise of optimizing the electrode morphology in IPCNCs by the ultrahigh volume fraction VA-CNTs for ionic polymer actuators to achieve high performance.

scholarly journals Supramolecular ionic polymer/carbon nanotube composite hydrogels with enhanced electromechanical performance

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 478-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun-Fei Zhang ◽  
Fei-Peng Du ◽  
Ling Chen ◽  
Ka-Wai Yeung ◽  
Yuqing Dong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanotube ◽  
Ion Mobility ◽  
Artificial Muscles ◽  
Ionic Polymer ◽  
Composite Hydrogels ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Electromechanical Performance ◽  
Carbon Nanotube Composite ◽  
Robotic Devices

AbstractElectroactive hydrogels have received increasing attention due to the possibility of being used in biomimetics, such as for soft robotics and artificial muscles. However, the applications are hindered by the poor mechanical properties and slow response time. To address these issues, in this study, supramolecular ionic polymer–carbon nanotube (SIPC) composite hydrogels were fabricated via in situ free radical polymerization. The polymer matrix consisted of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), styrene sulfonic sodium (SSNa), β-cyclodextrin (β-CD)-grafted acrylamide, and ferrocene (Fc)-grafted acrylamide, with the incorporation of SSNa serving as the ionic source. On applying an external voltage, the ions accumulate on one side of the matrix, leading to localized swelling and bending of the structure. Therefore, a controllable and reversible actuation can be achieved by changing the applied voltage. The tensile strength of the SIPC was improved by over 300%, from 12 to 49 kPa, due to the reinforcement effect of the CNTs and the supramolecular host–guest interactions between the β-CD and Fc moieties. The inclusion of CNTs not only improved the tensile properties but also enhanced the ion mobility, which lead to a faster electromechanical response. The presented electro-responsive composite hydrogel shows a high potential for the development of robotic devices and soft smart components for sensing and actuating applications.

Viscoelastic response of high volume fraction carbon nanotube-polymer nanocomposites with tailored wettability and controlled morphology

2019 ◽  
Vol 208 ◽  
pp. 418-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. Semih Pehlivan ◽  
Deniz Ürk ◽  
Hülya Cebeci ◽  
M. Lütfi Öveçoğlu ◽  
Abdullah Dönmez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanotube ◽  
Polymer Nanocomposites ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
High Volume ◽  
High Volume Fraction ◽  
Viscoelastic Response ◽  
Controlled Morphology

Reproducible Fabrication of Robust, Renewable Vertically Aligned Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube/Epoxy Composite Electrodes

2011 ◽  
Vol 83 (21) ◽  
pp. 8347-8351 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Garrett ◽  
Paula A. Brooksby ◽  
Frankie J. Rawson ◽  
Keith H. R. Baronian ◽  
Alison J. Downard
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanotube ◽  
Epoxy Composite ◽  
Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube ◽  
Composite Electrodes ◽  
Multiwalled Carbon ◽  
Vertically Aligned

Array Volume Fraction-Dependent Thermal Transport Properties of Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotube Arrays

2016 ◽  
Vol 138 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Zhao ◽  
Rong-Shiuan Chu ◽  
Costas P. Grigoropoulos ◽  
Oscar D. Dubon ◽  
Arun Majumdar
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Carbon Nanotube ◽  
Transport Properties ◽  
Thermal Performance ◽  
Thermal Transport ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
Thermal Contact Conductance ◽  
Thermal Transport Properties ◽  
Cnt Arrays ◽  
Vertically Aligned

Vertically aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays are promising candidates for advanced thermal interface materials (TIMs) since they possess high mechanical compliance and high intrinsic thermal conductivity. However, the overall thermal performance of CNT arrays often falls short of expectations when used as TIMs, and the underlying reasons have yet to be fully understood. In this work, the volume fraction of CNT arrays is demonstrated to be the key factor in determining the CNT array thermal transport properties. By increasing the array volume fraction, both the CNT array effective thermal conductivity and the CNT array–glass thermal contact conductance were experimentally found to increase monotonically. One interesting phenomenon is that the increasing rate of thermal conductivity is larger than that of array volume fraction. Compressive experiments verified that the CNT arrays with lower volume fractions suffer from severe buckling, which results in a further decreasing trend. By understanding the underlying reasons behind this trend, the overall thermal performance of vertically aligned CNT arrays can be further increased.

Improved mechanical properties of aligned multi-walled carbon nanotube/thermoplastic polyimide composites by hot stretching

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (9) ◽  
pp. 1241-1253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tran H Nam ◽  
Ken Goto ◽  
Toshiki Kamei ◽  
Yoshinobu Shimamura ◽  
Yoku Inoue ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Carbon Nanotube ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
High Heat ◽  
Melt Processing ◽  
Multi Walled Carbon Nanotube ◽  
Vertically Aligned ◽  
Polyimide Composites ◽  
Polyimide Matrix ◽  
Surface Morphologies

High heat resistance composites based on thermoplastic polyimide resin and aligned multi-walled carbon nanotube sheets have been developed using hot-melt processing method with a vacuum-assisted system. The horizontally aligned carbon nanotube sheets were produced from vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays using drawing and press-winding techniques. Effects of processing conditions, carbon nanotube contents, and hot stretching on the mechanical properties of the composites were examined. The aligned carbon nanotube/thermoplastic polyimide composites were fabricated successfully at a temperature of 410℃ under 2 MPa pressure. The surface morphologies of the composites showed high alignment and dense packing of carbon nanotubes, and a good impregnation of the thermoplastic polyimide matrix into the aligned carbon nanotube sheets. The best mechanical properties of the aligned carbon nanotube/thermoplastic polyimide composites were achieved at the carbon nanotube volume fraction of about 50% in this study. Hot stretching of the aligned carbon nanotube/thermoplastic polyimide composites at the temperatures above the glass transition temperature and below the melting temperature improved the mechanical properties of the composites considerably.

scholarly journals High Electromechanical Response of Ionic Polymer Actuators with Controlled-Morphology Aligned Carbon Nanotube/Nafion Nanocomposite Electrodes

2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (19) ◽  
pp. 3266-3271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheng Liu ◽  
Yang Liu ◽  
Hülya Cebeci ◽  
Roberto Guzmán de Villoria ◽  
Jun-Hong Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanotube ◽  
Ionic Polymer ◽  
Polymer Actuators ◽  
Controlled Morphology ◽  
Nanocomposite Electrodes
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