Research Progress in Electroactive Polymers for Soft Robotics and Artificial Muscle Applications

Polymers, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 17(6), P. 746 - 746

Published: March 12, 2025

Soft robots, constructed from deformable materials, offer significant advantages over rigid robots by mimicking biological tissues and providing enhanced adaptability, safety, functionality across various applications. Central to these are electroactive polymer (EAP) actuators, which allow large deformations in response external stimuli. This review examines EAP including dielectric elastomers, liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs), ionic polymers, focusing on their potential as artificial muscles. EAPs, particularly electronic varieties, noted for high actuation strain, flexibility, lightweight nature, energy efficiency, making them ideal applications mechatronics, robotics, biomedical engineering. also highlights piezoelectric polymers like polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), known biocompatibility, ease of fabrication, contributing tactile pressure sensing robotic systems. Additionally, conducting with fast speeds strain capabilities, explored, alongside magnetic composites (MPCs) biomedicine electronics. The integration machine learning (ML) the Internet Things (IoT) is transforming soft enhancing actuation, control, design. Finally, paper discusses future directions self-healing composites, bio-inspired designs, sustainability, continued IoT ML intelligent, adaptive, responsive

Language: Английский

Anisotropic Swelling Behavior of Liquid Crystal Elastomers in Isotropic Solvents

Nanomaterials, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(6), P. 443 - 443

Published: March 14, 2025

The chemical response of liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) offers substantial potential for applications in propulsion systems, micromechanical and active smart surfaces. However, the shape-changing behaviors LCEs to organic (isotropic) solvents remain scarcely explored, with most research focusing on (anisotropic) solvents. Herein, we prepared a series aligned varying crosslink densities using surface alignment technique combined an aza-Michael addition reaction, aiming investigate their swelling different isotropic We found that rates shape volume variation modes, elastic modulus LCEs, polarity solvent all significantly influence behavior. Specifically, when swell acetone, dimethylformamide (DMF), ethyl acetate, contraction occurs along direction. Conversely, extension direction is observed toluene, anisole, acrylic acid. Meanwhile, perpendicular noted nearly These changes can be attributed phase transitions LCEs. This not only provides valuable insights into mechanisms but also holds great promise development sensors gas sensing applications.

Language: Английский

Design of Heavy-Load Soft Robots Based on a Dual Biomimetic Structure

Biomimetics, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 9(7), P. 398 - 398

Published: June 30, 2024

This study first draws inspiration from the dual biomimetic design of plant cell walls and honeycomb structures, drawing on their structural characteristics to a flexible shell structure that can achieve significant deformation withstand large loads. Based staggered bonding this structure, we propose new scheme for large-load pneumatic soft arm establish mathematical model its flexibility load capacity. The extension bending type come geometric variability which be controlled through two switches, namely, deflation inflation, or actions. experimental results show under driving pressure within range 150 kpa, maximum elongation reaches 23.17 cm, angle is 94.2 degrees, 2.83 N. designed based bionic have both high capacity flexibility. research provide ideas methods development high-load arms, are expected expand laboratories multiple fields.

Language: Английский