scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question
Journal ArticleDOI

Multistimulus Responsive Actuator with GO and Carbon Nanotube/PDMS Bilayer Structure for Flexible and Smart Devices.

Wen Wang1, Chenxue Xiang, Qing Zhu1, Weibing Zhong1, Mufang Li, Kelu Yan1, Dong Wang1 
23 Jul 2018-ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces (American Chemical Society)-Vol. 10, Iss: 32, pp 27215-27223
TL;DR: A soft actuator that can produce reversible deformations under the control of light, thermal, and humidity is fabricated by combining high photothermal properties of CNT/PDMS layer with the natural hydrophilic GO layer.
Abstract: Smart devices with abilities of perceiving, processing, and responding are attracting more and more attentions due to the emerging development of artificial intelligent systems, especially in biomimetic and intelligent robotics fields Designing a smart actuator with high flexibility and multistimulation responsive behaviors to simulate the movement of creatures, such as weight lifting, heavy objects carrying via simple materials, and structural design is highly demanded for the development of intelligent systems Herein, a soft actuator that can produce reversible deformations under the control of light, thermal, and humidity is fabricated by combining high photothermal properties of CNT/PDMS layer with the natural hydrophilic GO layer Due to the asymmetric double-layer structure, the novel bilayer membrane-based actuator showed different bending directions under photothermal and humidity stimulations, resulting in bidirectional controllable bending behaviors In addition, the actuation behaviors can be well controlled by directionally aligning the graphene oxide onto carbon nanotube/PDMS layer The actuator can be fabricated into a series of complex biomimetic devices, such as, simulated biomimetic fingers, smart "tweezers", humidity control switches, which has great potential applications in flexible robots, artificial muscles, and optical control medical devices
Citations
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The programmable nature of smart textiles makes them an indispensable part of an emerging new technology field and a timely overview and comprehensive review of progress of this field in the last five years are provided.
Abstract: The programmable nature of smart textiles makes them an indispensable part of an emerging new technology field. Smart textile-integrated microelectronic systems (STIMES), which combine microelectronics and technology such as artificial intelligence and augmented or virtual reality, have been intensively explored. A vast range of research activities have been reported. Many promising applications in healthcare, the internet of things (IoT), smart city management, robotics, etc., have been demonstrated around the world. A timely overview and comprehensive review of progress of this field in the last five years are provided. Several main aspects are covered: functional materials, major fabrication processes of smart textile components, functional devices, system architectures and heterogeneous integration, wearable applications in human and nonhuman-related areas, and the safety and security of STIMES. The major types of textile-integrated nonconventional functional devices are discussed in detail: sensors, actuators, displays, antennas, energy harvesters and their hybrids, batteries and supercapacitors, circuit boards, and memory devices.

384 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: An unprecedented bilayer-structured actuator based on MXene (Ti3C2Tx)–cellulose composites and polycarbonate membrane, which mimic not only the sophisticated leaf structure but also the energy-harvesting and conversion capabilities.
Abstract: Natural leaves, with elaborate architectures and functional components, harvest and convert solar energy into chemical fuels that can be converted into energy based on photosynthesis. The energy produced leads to work done that inspired many autonomous systems such as light-triggered motion. On the basis of this nature-inspired phenomenon, we report an unprecedented bilayer-structured actuator based on MXene (Ti3C2T x )-cellulose composites (MXCC) and polycarbonate membrane, which mimic not only the sophisticated leaf structure but also the energy-harvesting and conversion capabilities. The bilayer actuator features multiresponsiveness, low-power actuation, fast actuation speed, large-shape deformation, programmable adaptability, robust stability, and low-cost facile fabrication, which are highly desirable for modern soft actuator systems. We believe that these adaptive soft systems are attractive in a wide range of revolutionary technologies such as soft robots, smart switch, information encryption, infrared dynamic display, camouflage, and temperature regulation, as well as human-machine interface such as haptics.

172 citations


Cites methods from "Multistimulus Responsive Actuator w..."

  • ...The angle change achieved by our MXCC/PC actuator is also superior to that of the recently reported GO–carbon nanotube composite/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) bilayer actuators with the maximum angle change of 90° achieved by a high illumination intensity exposure of 500 mW cm (37)....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A review of advances in bio-inspired soft actuators and sensors with a focus on the progress between 2017 and 2020 is presented in this article, providing a primer for the materials used in their design.
Abstract: Biological systems can perform complex tasks with high compliance levels. This makes them a great source of inspiration for soft robotics. Indeed, the union of these fields has brought about bioinspired soft robotics, with hundreds of publications on novel research each year. This review aims to survey fundamental advances in bioinspired soft actuators and sensors with a focus on the progress between 2017 and 2020, providing a primer for the materials used in their design.

138 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reviewed and analyzed the recent advances in human body-related (HBR) humidity sensors, including respiratory behavior, speech recognition, skin moisture, non-contact switch, and diaper monitoring.
Abstract: For a long time, humidity sensors have been mainly used in detecting humidity of ambient conditions, such as industry, agriculture, and smart home. With the development of wearable electronic systems, humidity sensors have attracted great attention in human body-related (HBR) humidity detection (such as respiratory behavior, speech recognition, skin moisture, non-contact switch, and diaper monitoring). Therefore, significant efforts have been recently devoted to the development of HBR humidity sensors. Although remarkable achievements have been made in this field, many challenges still exist. Herein, we review and analyze the recent advances in HBR humidity sensors. Initially, we introduced the basic concept. Then, the various applications of humidity sensors for HBR humidity detection are systematically summarized and discussed. Finally, combined with the research progress of the HBR humidity sensor, the challenges in this field are prospected. We expect that this critical review will provide great insight and direct the research prospectus of the HBR humidity sensors.

107 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review provides a state-of-the-art review on recent advances of light-driven bimorph soft actuators with the focus on bilayer strategy, i.e., an integration between photoactive and passive layer within one material system.
Abstract: Soft robots that can move like living organisms and adapt to their surroundings are currently in the limelight from fundamental studies to technological applications, due to their advances in material flexibility, human-friendly interaction, and biological adaptation that surpass conventional rigid machines. Light-fueled smart actuators based on responsive soft materials are considered to be one of the most promising candidates to promote the field of untethered soft robotics, thereby attracting considerable attention amongst materials scientists and microroboticists to investigate photomechanics, photoswitch, bioinspired design, and actuation realization. In this review, we discuss the recent state-of-the-art advances in light-driven bimorph soft actuators, with the focus on bilayer strategy, i.e., integration between photoactive and passive layers within a single material system. Bilayer structures can endow soft actuators with unprecedented features such as ultrasensitivity, programmability, superior compatibility, robustness, and sophistication in controllability. We begin with an explanation about the working principle of bimorph soft actuators and introduction of a synthesis pathway toward light-responsive materials for soft robotics. Then, photothermal and photochemical bimorph soft actuators are sequentially introduced, with an emphasis on the design strategy, actuation performance, underlying mechanism, and emerging applications. Finally, this review is concluded with a perspective on the existing challenges and future opportunities in this nascent research Frontier.

92 citations

References
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on the origin of the D and G peaks and the second order of D peak and show that the G and 2 D Raman peaks change in shape, position and relative intensity with number of graphene layers.

6,496 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
21 Feb 2014-Science
TL;DR: In this article, high-strength polymer fibers used for fishing line and sewing thread can be easily transformed by twist insertion to provide fast, scalable, nonhysteretic, long-life tensile and torsional muscles.
Abstract: The high cost of powerful, large-stroke, high-stress artificial muscles has combined with performance limitations such as low cycle life, hysteresis, and low efficiency to restrict applications. We demonstrated that inexpensive high-strength polymer fibers used for fishing line and sewing thread can be easily transformed by twist insertion to provide fast, scalable, nonhysteretic, long-life tensile and torsional muscles. Extreme twisting produces coiled muscles that can contract by 49%, lift loads over 100 times heavier than can human muscle of the same length and weight, and generate 5.3 kilowatts of mechanical work per kilogram of muscle weight, similar to that produced by a jet engine. Woven textiles that change porosity in response to temperature and actuating window shutters that could help conserve energy were also demonstrated. Large-stroke tensile actuation was theoretically and experimentally shown to result from torsional actuation.

880 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review collects recent developments in the field of liquid crystalline elastomers with an emphasis on their use for actuator and sensor applications and how these materials can be turned into usable devices using different interdisciplinary techniques.
Abstract: This review collects recent developments in the field of liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) with an emphasis on their use for actuator and sensor applications. Several synthetic pathways leading to crosslinked liquid crystalline polymers are discussed and how these materials can be oriented into liquid crystalline monodomains are described. By comparing the actuating properties of different systems, general structure-property relationships for LCEs are obtained. In the final section, how these materials can be turned into usable devices using different interdisciplinary techniques are described.

871 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The various types of natural muscle are incredible material systems that enable the production of large deformations by repetitive molecular motions as mentioned in this paper. But they are difficult to manipulate and require a large amount of energy.

813 citations

01 Jan 2015
TL;DR: It was demonstrated that inexpensive high-strength polymer fibers used for fishing line and sewing thread can be easily transformed by twist insertion to provide fast, scalable, nonhysteretic, long-life tensile and torsional muscles.

770 citations