Carbon Nanotube-Based Hierarchical Paper Structure for Ultra-high Electrothermal Actuation in a Wide Humidity Range

Ghosh, R and Misra, A (2021) Carbon Nanotube-Based Hierarchical Paper Structure for Ultra-high Electrothermal Actuation in a Wide Humidity Range. In: ACS Applied Electronic Materials, 3 (3). pp. 1260-1267.

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Abstract

The hierarchical structure of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs), cellulose paper, and the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer is realized for a low-power-driven actuator capable of operating under various humidity conditions. The highly conducting and flexible CNT network is attributed to Joule heating-controlled hygroexpansion of cellulose paper and thermal expansion of PDMS. The study showed an ultrahigh actuation of 1.4 cm with a 0.95 cm-1 bending radius of curvature at a much lower power density of 35 mW mm-3. Operation over multiple cycles shows the large durability of the device and its potential application in soft robotics as a soft weightlifter. The actuator is shown to be capable of lifting 525 more than its weight up to a height of 1 cm. The experimental result was validated using analytical modeling. Furthermore, our results suggest that these actuators can be operated both in dry and in variable moist environments, which makes it applicable in various fields including microrobotics, artificial muscles, microsensors, microtransducers, micromanipulators, microvalves, and so on. ©

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	ACS Applied Electronic Materials
Publisher:	American Chemical Society
Additional Information:	The copyright for this article belongs to American Chemical Society.
Keywords:	Actuators; Cellulose; Microchannels; Nanotubes; Polydimethylsiloxane; Silicones; Thermal expansion, Artificial muscle; Cellulose papers; Electrothermal actuation; Hierarchical structures; Humidity conditions; Microtransducers; Moist environment; Polydimethylsiloxane polymers, Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCN), Application; Bending; Cellulose; Height; Humidity; Paper Structure; Power; Robots
Department/Centre:	Division of Physical & Mathematical Sciences > Instrumentation Appiled Physics
Date Deposited:	22 Feb 2023 04:18
Last Modified:	22 Feb 2023 04:18
URI:	https://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/80479

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