Large-Strain, Multiform Movements from Designable Electrothermal Actuators Based on Large Highly Anisotropic Carbon Nanotube Sheets
Abstract
Many electroactive polymer (EAP) actuators use diverse configurations of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as pliable electrodes to realize discontinuous, agile movements, for CNTs are conductive and flexible. However, the reported CNT-based EAP actuators could only accomplish simple, monotonous actions. Few actuators were extended to complex devices because efficiently preparing a large-area CNT electrode was difficult, and complex electrode design has not been carried out. In this work, we successfully prepared large-area CNT paper (buckypaper, BP) through an efficient approach. The BP is highly anisotropic, strong, and suitable as flexible electrodes. By means of artful graphic design and processing on BP, we fabricated various functional BP electrodes and developed a series of BP-polymer electrothermal actuators (ETAs). The prepared ETAs can realize various controllable movements, such as large-stain bending (>180°), helical curling (∼ 630°), or even bionic actuations (imitating human-hand actions). These functional and interesting movements benefit from flexible electrode design and the anisotropy of BP material. Owing to the advantages of low driving voltage (20-200 V), electrolyte-free and long service life (over 10000 times), we think the ETAs will have great potential applications in the actuator field.
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It was demonstrated that it is possible to control the direction and degree of ETAs bending.
“It was demonstrated that it is possible to control the direction and degree of ETAs bending.”
From Shape-memory polymers for multiple applications in the materials world (2016) · cites this paper as [125]
Great advantages of such electrolyte-free materials are their low driving voltage (20-200 V) and long service life (over 10,000 times).
“Great advantages of such electrolyte-free materials are their low driving voltage (20-200 V) and long service life (over 10,000 times).”
From Shape-memory polymers for multiple applications in the materials world (2016) · cites this paper as [125]
In Li et al.'s study, large-area CNT buckypaper (BP, layers of aligned CNT array) as strong and highly anisotropic material was used as a flexible electrode for the production of CNTs loaded double-layer ETA (BP and polydimethylsiloxane layers).
“In the study of Li et al. large-area CNT buckypaper (BP, layers of aligned CNT array) as strong and highly anisotropic material was used as a flexible electrode for the production of CNTs loaded double-layer ETA (BP and polydimethylsiloxane layers) [125].”
From Shape-memory polymers for multiple applications in the materials world (2016) · cites this paper as [125]
The materials bent to the BP sides along the length direction of the U-shaped electrodes, and the deformation of the horizontally cut actuator was much larger, with CNTs alignment perpendicular to the U-shaped BP band.
“The materials bent to the BP sides along the length direction of the U-shaped electrodes, and the deformation of the horizontally cut actuator was much larger, with CNTs alignment perpendicular to the U-shaped BP band (Fig. 10(a)).”
From Shape-memory polymers for multiple applications in the materials world (2016) · cites this paper as [125]
The process required 12 s to achieve the maximum degree of actuation and 28 s to restore the original shapes.
“The process reminded very fast (12 s) to achieve the maximum degree of actuation and 28 s to restore the original shapes.”
From Shape-memory polymers for multiple applications in the materials world (2016) · cites this paper as [125]
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- Authors
- Li, Q., Liu, C., Lin, Y.-H., Liu, L., Jiang, K., & Fan, S.
- Affiliations
- Tsinghua University (CN)
- Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research Center and Department of Physics and ‡School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Corresponding author
- Li, Qingwei
- Liu, Changhong
- Venue
- ACS Nano
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2015-01-08
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 409-418
- ISSN
- 1936-0851 (ISSN-L)
- 1936-086X
- OpenAlex
- W2330718237
- Cited by
- 188
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 29 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 8
- FWCI
- 9.95
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- ACS Nano (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (51173098)
- Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China (2012CB932301)
- China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (023200006)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Dielectric materials and actuators
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Advanced Materials and Mechanics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Advanced MEMS and NEMS Technologies
- Keywords
- electrothermal actuator, carbon nanotube paper, buckypaper, flexible electrodes, electrode design, electroactive polymers
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