scholarly journals Helical Actuators Inspired by Chiral Seedpod Opening and Tendril Coiling

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangchao Wan ◽  
Congran Jin ◽  
Ian Trase ◽  
Shan Zhao ◽  
Zi Chen
Keyword(s):  
Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes ◽  
Artificial Muscles ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Helical Structures ◽  
Responsive Materials ◽  
Intelligent Machines ◽  
Essential Components ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
External Stimuli ◽  
Tendril Coiling

Actuators are essential components for intelligent machines that can fulfill certain tasks in response to environmental stimuli. In recent years, actuators that can transform from a 2D ribbon shape to a 3D helical configuration under certain external stimuli have attracted significant attention due to the potential applications of the targeted helical structures in springs, propulsion generation, and artificial muscles. Inspired by the chiral opening of Bauhinia variegate‘s seedpods and the coiling of the Towel Gourd tendril with perversions, researchers have made significant breakthroughs in synthesizing state-of-the-art actuators capable of mimicking helical transformations. In this review, we give a brief overview of the shape evolution mechanisms of these two plant structures and then review recent progress in the fabrication of biomimetic helical actuators. These structures are categorized by the stimuli-responsive materials involved, including hydrogels, liquid crystal networks/elastomers, shape memory polymers, and multiwall carbon nanotubes. By providing this survey on important recent advances along with our perspectives, we hope to solicit new inspirations and insights on the development and fabrication of smart actuators, as well as the future development of interdisciplinary research at the interface of physics, engineering, and biology.

scholarly journals Comparative study of robotic artificial actuators and biological muscle

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 168781402093340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Liang ◽  
Hao Liu ◽  
Kunyang Wang ◽  
Zhihui Qian ◽  
Luquan Ren ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Comparative Study ◽  
Artificial Muscle ◽  
Artificial Muscles ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Responsive Materials ◽  
High Level ◽  
External Stimuli ◽  
Robotic Applications

Biological muscles exhibit a high level of integration, in which actuators, sensors and transmission elements can be included in one component. Artificial muscles or actuators refer to intelligent stimuli-responsive materials that could reversibly deform with the trigger of various external stimuli. These materials, which have attracted tremendous attention, produce natural muscle-like actuation performance and show promising applications in robotics. After an introduction of various actuator technologies that contribute to robotic applications, a comparative analysis of the main actuation parameter is provided. The comprehensive comparisons of each kind of artificial muscle are summarised, and the promising properties that are required in robotics are presented, which highlight the development of their actuation performances and the challenges that limit their further employments. Future developmental prospects and perspectives of artificial actuators are discussed.

Smart Polymers and their Applications: A Review

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (03) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gore S. A. ◽  
Gholve S. B. ◽  
Savalsure S. M. ◽  
Ghodake K. B. ◽  
Bhusnure O. G. ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Solution Temperature ◽  
Smart Polymers ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Responsive Materials ◽  
Water Soluble Polymers ◽  
Commercial Applications ◽  
Stimuli Sensitive ◽  
External Stimuli

Smart polymers are materials that respond to small external stimuli. These are also referred as stimuli responsive materials or intelligent materials. Smart polymers that can exhibit stimuli-sensitive properties are becoming important in many commercial applications. These polymers can change shape, strength and pore size based on external factors such as temperature, pH and stress. The stimuli include salt, UV irradiation, temperature, pH, magnetic or electric field, ionic factors etc. Smart polymers are very promising applicants in drug delivery, tissue engineering, cell culture, gene carriers, textile engineering, oil recovery, radioactive wastage and protein purification. The study is focused on the entire features of smart polymers and their most recent and relevant applications. Water soluble polymers with tunable lower critical solution temperature (LCST) are of increasing interest for biological applications such as cell patterning, smart drug release, DNA sequencing etc.

scholarly journals Dynamic Manipulation of THz Waves Enabled by Phase-Transition VO2 Thin Film

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 114
Author(s):  
Chang Lu ◽  
Qingjian Lu ◽  
Min Gao ◽  
Yuan Lin
Keyword(s):  
Optical Methods ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Device Structure ◽  
Current State ◽  
Insulator Metal Transition ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Fs Laser ◽  
External Stimuli ◽  
Thz Applications ◽  
Thz Waves

The reversible and multi-stimuli responsive insulator-metal transition of VO2, which enables dynamic modulation over the terahertz (THz) regime, has attracted plenty of attention for its potential applications in versatile active THz devices. Moreover, the investigation into the growth mechanism of VO2 films has led to improved film processing, more capable modulation and enhanced device compatibility into diverse THz applications. THz devices with VO2 as the key components exhibit remarkable response to external stimuli, which is not only applicable in THz modulators but also in rewritable optical memories by virtue of the intrinsic hysteresis behaviour of VO2. Depending on the predesigned device structure, the insulator-metal transition (IMT) of VO2 component can be controlled through thermal, electrical or optical methods. Recent research has paid special attention to the ultrafast modulation phenomenon observed in the photoinduced IMT, enabled by an intense femtosecond laser (fs laser) which supports “quasi-simultaneous” IMT within 1 ps. This progress report reviews the current state of the field, focusing on the material nature that gives rise to the modulation-allowed IMT for THz applications. An overview is presented of numerous IMT stimuli approaches with special emphasis on the underlying physical mechanisms. Subsequently, active manipulation of THz waves through pure VO2 film and VO2 hybrid metamaterials is surveyed, highlighting that VO2 can provide active modulation for a wide variety of applications. Finally, the common characteristics and future development directions of VO2-based tuneable THz devices are discussed.

scholarly journals Molecularly engineered switchable photo-responsive membrane in gas separation for environmental protection

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 447-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aishah Rosli ◽  
Siew Chun Low
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Gas Separation ◽  
Energy Costs ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Responsive Materials ◽  
Separation Systems ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Responsive Membranes ◽  
External Stimuli

In recent years, stimuli-responsive materials have garnered interest due to their ability to change properties when exposed to external stimuli, making it useful for various applications including gas separation. Light is a very attractive trigger for responsive materials due to its speedy and non-invasive nature as well as the potential to reduce energy costs significantly. Even though light is deemed as an appealing stimulus for the development of stimuli-responsive materials, this avenue has yet to be extensively researched, as evidenced by the fewer works done on the photo-responsive membranes. Of these, there are even less research done on photo-responsive materials for the purpose of gas separation, thus, we have collected the examples that answer both these criteria in this review. This review covers the utilisation of photo-responsive materials specifically for gas separation purposes. Photo-chromic units, their integration into gas separation systems, mechanism and research that have been done on the topic so far are discussed.

scholarly journals Stimuli-responsive polymers and their applications

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Menglian Wei ◽  
Yongfeng Gao ◽  
Xue Li ◽  
Michael J. Serpe
Keyword(s):  
Drug Delivery ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Artificial Muscles ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Stimuli Responsive Polymers ◽  
Responsive Polymers ◽  
Responsive Polymer ◽  
External Stimuli

Responsive polymer-based materials are capable of altering their chemical and/or physical properties upon exposure to external stimuli. This review highlights their use for sensing and biosensing, drug delivery, and artificial muscles/actuators.

scholarly journals 4D Printing: dawn of an emerging technology cycle

2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 310-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eujin Pei
Keyword(s):  
State Of The Art ◽  
Emerging Technology ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
4D Printing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Responsive Materials ◽  
Covering Material ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
New Applications ◽  
External Stimuli

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to reviews state-of-the-art developments in four-dimensional (4D) printing, discuss what it is, investigate new applications that have been discovered and suggest its future impact. Design/methodology/approach – The article clarifies the definition of 4D printing and describes notable examples covering material science, equipment and applications. Findings – This article highlights an emerging technology cycle where 4D printing research has gained traction within additive manufacturing. The use of stimuli-responsive materials can be programmed and printed to enable pre-determined reactions when subject to external stimuli. Originality/value – This article reviews state-of-the-art developments in 4D printing, discusses what it is, investigates new applications that have been discovered and suggests its future impact.

scholarly journals Programmable active kirigami metasheets with more freedom of actuation

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (52) ◽  
pp. 26407-26413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yichao Tang ◽  
Yanbin Li ◽  
Yaoye Hong ◽  
Shu Yang ◽  
Jie Yin
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Environmental Temperature ◽  
Mechanical Forces ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Responsive Materials ◽  
Promising Strategy ◽  
Unit Cells ◽  
Potential Applications

Kirigami (cutting and/or folding) offers a promising strategy to reconfigure metamaterials. Conventionally, kirigami metamaterials are often composed of passive cut unit cells to be reconfigured under mechanical forces. The constituent stimuli-responsive materials in active kirigami metamaterials instead will enable potential mechanical properties and functionality, arising from the active control of cut unit cells. However, the planar features of hinges in conventional kirigami structures significantly constrain the degrees of freedom (DOFs) in both deformation and actuation of the cut units. To release both constraints, here, we demonstrate a universal design of implementing folds to reconstruct sole-cuts–based metamaterials. We show that the supplemented folds not only enrich the structural reconfiguration beyond sole cuts but also enable more DOFs in actuating the kirigami metasheets into 3 dimensions (3D) in response to environmental temperature. Utilizing the multi-DOF in deformation of unit cells, we demonstrate that planar metasheets with the same cut design can self-fold into programmable 3D kirigami metastructures with distinct mechanical properties. Last, we demonstrate potential applications of programmable kirigami machines and easy-turning soft robots.

scholarly journals Developing the structure–property relationship to design solid state multi-stimuli responsive materials and their potential applications in different fields

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (14) ◽  
pp. 3592-3606 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bibhisan Roy ◽  
Mallu Chenna Reddy ◽  
Partha Hazra
Keyword(s):  
Charge Transfer ◽  
Solid State ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Structure Property ◽  
Responsive Materials ◽  
Property Relationship ◽  
Structure Property Relationship ◽  
Potential Applications

Establishing the structure–property relationship for multi-stimuli responsive mechanochromic materials based on charge transfer luminogens.

Phase Separation of Carboxylated Poly-L-lysine

2014 ◽  
Vol 1622 ◽  
pp. 129-133
Author(s):  
Esha Das ◽  
Kazuaki Matsumura
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Electric Fields ◽  
Sudden Change ◽  
Solution Temperature ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Responsive Materials ◽  
Solvation State ◽  
External Stimuli

ABSTRACTStimuli-responsive materials are capable of reversibly altering their properties depending on the environmental conditions or external stimuli. External stimuli typically include thermal, pH, electric fields, optical, magnetic fields, mechanical forces and chemical interactions. There are many instances in nature where responsive surfaces have been observed. Temperature is the most widely used stimulus in environmentally responsive polymer systems. The change of temperature is not only relatively easy to control, but also easily applicable both in vitro and in vivo. Temperature responsive polymers exhibit a phase transition at a certain temperature, which causes a sudden change in the solvation state. Polymers that become insoluble upon heating have a so-called lower critical solution temperature (LCST). One example of these polymers is poly (N-isopropyl acrylamide), which shows LCST at about 32 °C, close to the physiological temperature. In this study, we report the developing of novel polyampholytes which shows thermo-, salt-responsive liquid-liquid phase separation in aqueous solution.

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