Crack-Resistant and Tissue-Like Artificial Muscles with Low Temperature Activation and High Power Density.
Adv Mater
; 36(28): e2402278, 2024 Jul.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38657958
ABSTRACT
Constructing soft robotics with safe human-machine interactions requires low-modulus, high-power-density artificial muscles that are sensitive to gentle stimuli. In addition, the ability to resist crack propagation during long-term actuation cycles is essential for a long service life. Herein, a material design is proposed to combine all these desirable attributes in a single artificial muscle platform. The design involves the molecular engineering of a liquid crystalline network with crystallizable segments and an ethylene glycol flexible spacer. A high degree of crystallinity can be afforded by utilizing aza-Michael chemistry to produce a low covalent crosslinking density, resulting in crack-insensitivity with a high fracture energy of 33 720 J m-2 and a high fatigue threshold of 2250 J m-2. Such crack-resistant artificial muscle with tissue-matched modulus of 0.7 MPa can generate a high power density of 450 W kg-1 at a low temperature of 40 °C. Notably, because of the presence of crystalline domains in the actuated state, no crack propagation is observed after 500 heating-cooling actuation cycles under a static load of 220 kPa. This study points to a pathway for the creation of artificial muscles merging seemingly disparate, but desirable properties, broadening their application potential in smart devices.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Bases de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Músculos
Límite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Adv Mater
Asunto de la revista:
BIOFISICA
/
QUIMICA
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Australia