Torsional Carbon Nanotube Artificial Muscles
- 28 October 2011
- journal article
- other
- Published by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Science
- Vol. 334 (6055), 494-497
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1211220
Abstract
Rotary motors of conventional design can be rather complex and are therefore difficult to miniaturize; previous carbon nanotube artificial muscles provide contraction and bending, but not rotation. We show that an electrolyte-filled twist-spun carbon nanotube yarn, much thinner than a human hair, functions as a torsional artificial muscle in a simple three-electrode electrochemical system, providing a reversible 15,000° rotation and 590 revolutions per minute. A hydrostatic actuation mechanism, as seen in muscular hydrostats in nature, explains the simultaneous occurrence of lengthwise contraction and torsional rotation during the yarn volume increase caused by electrochemical double-layer charge injection. The use of a torsional yarn muscle as a mixer for a fluidic chip is demonstrated.Keywords
This publication has 27 references indexed in Scilit:
- Electrochemical characterization of single-walled carbon nanotubes for electrochemical double layer capacitors using non-aqueous electrolyteElectrochimica Acta, 2009
- Soft robotics: Biological inspiration, state of the art, and future researchApplied Bionics and Biomechanics, 2008
- Bacterial flagellar motorQuarterly Reviews of Biophysics, 2008
- Torsional Swelling of a Hyperelastic Tube with Helically Wound ReinforcementJournal of Elasticity, 2007
- A Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotube Tower Electrochemical ActuatorNano Letters, 2006
- Electrochemical Properties of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotube ElectrodesJournal of the Electrochemical Society, 2003
- Performance test and improvement of piezoelectric torsional actuatorsSmart Materials and Structures, 2001
- Thermo-mechanical characterization of shape memory alloy torque tube actuatorsSmart Materials and Structures, 2000
- Materials with Negative Compressibilities in One or More DimensionsScience, 1998
- Measurement and modeling of McKibben pneumatic artificial musclesIEEE Transactions on Robotics and Automation, 1996