Nanofiber-reinforced soft fluidic micro-actuators

作者：Sinatra N R^*; Ranzani T; Vlassak J J; Parker K K; Wood R J

来源：Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, 2018, 28(8): 084002.

DOI：10.1088/1361-6439/aab373

• micro-actuators
• nanofiber
• pneumatic actuators
• elastomers
• composites
• soft robotics

Soft pneumatic actuators are promising candidates for micro-manipulation and delicate gripping due to their wide range of motion and ease of fabrication. While existing elastomer-based devices have attracted attention due to their compliant structures, there is a need for materials that combine flexibility, controllable actuation, and robustness. This paper bridges this capability gap by introducing a novel fabrication strategy for nanofiber-reinforced soft micro-actuators. The design and manufacturing of composite PDMS/nanofiber actuators using soft lithography and rotary jet spinning is described. We examine the impact of lamina design and fiber orientation on actuator curvature, mechanical properties, and pressurization range. Composite actuators displayed a 25.8% higher maximum pressure than pure PDMS devices. Further, the best nanofiber-reinforced laminates tested were 2.3 times tougher than the control PDMS material while maintaining comparable elongation. Finally, bending and bending-twisting are demonstrated using pristine and laser-patterned nanofiber sheets, respectively.

• 出版日期2018-8