Li Xiying, Duan Huiling, Lv Pengyu, Yi Xin
State Key Laboratory for Turbulence and Complex Systems, Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, BIC-ESAT, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China.
CAPT, HEDPS and IFSA Collaborative Innovation Center of MoE, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Soft Robot. 2021 Jun;8(3):251-261. doi: 10.1089/soro.2020.0018. Epub 2020 Jun 25.
Liquid-vapor phase change materials (PCMs), capable of significant volume change, are emerging as attractive actuating components in forming advanced soft composites for robotic applications. However, the novel and functional design of these PCM composites is significantly limited due to the lacking of the fundamental understanding of the mechanical properties, which further inhibits the broad applications of PCM based materials in the engineering structures requiring large deformation and high loading capacity. In this study we fabricate PCM-elastomer composites exhibiting large deformation and high output stress. Thermomechanical properties of these composites are experimentally and theoretically investigated, demonstrating enhanced deformation and loading capacity due to the induced vapor pressure. By controlling the distribution and content of the PCM inclusions, structures with tunable deformability under a relatively small strain in comparison with traditional soft materials are fabricated. Accompanying with the asymmetrical friction and deformation, complex locomotion and adaptable grabbing function are achieved with excellent performance.
能够发生显著体积变化的液-气相变材料（PCM），正成为用于机器人应用的先进软复合材料成型中极具吸引力的驱动组件。然而，由于对其力学性能缺乏基本了解，这些PCM复合材料的新颖功能设计受到显著限制，这进一步阻碍了基于PCM的材料在需要大变形和高承载能力的工程结构中的广泛应用。在本研究中，我们制备了具有大变形和高输出应力的PCM-弹性体复合材料。通过实验和理论研究了这些复合材料的热机械性能，证明了由于诱导蒸气压导致的变形和承载能力增强。通过控制PCM夹杂物的分布和含量，制备出了与传统软材料相比在相对小应变下具有可调变形能力的结构。伴随着不对称摩擦和变形，实现了具有优异性能的复杂运动和自适应抓取功能。
