Suzhou Institute of Nano-tech and Nano-bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215125 Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
ACS Nano. 2010 Jun 22;4(6):3498-502. doi: 10.1021/nn1006013.
This paper reports novel electromechanical behavior for a natural biopolymer film due to the incorporation of a conductive carbon nanotube network. Through simple solution blending and casting, high weight fraction single-walled carbon nanotube-chitosan composite films were fabricated and exhibited electromechanical actuation properties with motion controlled by low alternating voltage stimuli in atmospheric conditions. Of particular interest and importance is that the displacement output imitated perfectly the electrical input signal in terms of frequency (<10 Hz) and waveform. Operational reliability was confirmed by stable vibration testing in air for more than 3000 cycles. Proposed electrothermal mechanism considering the alternating current-induced periodic thermal expansion and contraction of the composite film was discussed. The unique actuation performance of the carbon nanotube-biopolymer composite, coupled with ease of fabrication, low driven voltage, tunable vibration, reliable operation, and good biocompatibility, shows great possibility for implementation of dry actuators in artificial muscle and microsystems for biomimetic applications.
本文报道了一种新型的机电行为，由于在天然生物聚合物薄膜中加入了导电碳纳米管网络。通过简单的溶液共混和浇铸，制备了高重量分数的单壁碳纳米管-壳聚糖复合薄膜，并在大气条件下通过低交流电压刺激控制运动表现出机电致动特性。特别有趣和重要的是，在频率（<10 Hz）和波形方面，位移输出与电输入信号完美匹配。通过在空气中进行超过 3000 次的稳定振动测试，证实了其运行可靠性。考虑到复合材料的交流电诱导周期性热膨胀和收缩的电热机制也进行了讨论。碳纳米管-生物聚合物复合材料的独特致动性能，结合易于制造、低驱动电压、可调谐振动、可靠运行和良好的生物相容性，为在仿生应用中的人工肌肉和微系统中实现干式致动器展示了巨大的可能性。
