Electrically Controllable Biomimetic Actuators Made with Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube(MWNT) Loaded Ionomeric Nanocomposites

Abstract

Biomimetic actuators that can produce soft-actuation but large force generation capability are of interest. Nafion, an effective ionomeric material from DuPont, has been shown to produce large deformation under low electric fields (<10V/mm). This response is caused by a direct electro-osmotic effect due to the existence and mobility of cations and subsequent swelling and deswelling of the material. In this effort, multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT)/Nafion nanocomposites were prepared by a casting in order to investigate the effect of MWNT loading in the range of 0 to 7 wt% on electromechanical properties of the MWNT/Nafion nanocomposites. The measured elastic modulus and actuation force of the MWNT/Nafion nanocomposites are drastically different, showing larger elastic modulus and improved electromechanical coupling, from the one without MWNT, implying that the effective MWNT loading is crucial to develop high-performance biomimetic actuators.