The mechanics and physics of twisted and coiled polymer actuators

Fuente: arXiv
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Auteurs principaux: Wang, Qiong, Ghrayeb, Anan, Kim, SeongHyeon, Cheng, Liuyang, Tawfick, Sameh
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2024
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author Wang, Qiong
Ghrayeb, Anan
Kim, SeongHyeon
Cheng, Liuyang
Tawfick, Sameh
author_facet Wang, Qiong
Ghrayeb, Anan
Kim, SeongHyeon
Cheng, Liuyang
Tawfick, Sameh
contents Twisted and coiled polymer actuators (TCPAs) generate large contractile mechanical work mimicking natural muscles, which makes them suitable for robotics and health-assistive devices. Understanding the mechanism of nylon TCPA remains challenging due to the interplay between their intricate geometry, chirality, residual stresses, and material microstructure. This study integrates a material microstructure model with rod theory to analytically predict the equilibrium helical shape of the nylon TCPA after fabrication and to explain the observed contraction mechanism upon stimulation. The first ingredient of the model is to treat nylon as a two-phase thermomechanical microstructure system capable of storing strain energy and exchanging it among the two phases. This is validated by characterizing the torsional actuation response of twisted and annealed nylon fibers. The second ingredient of the model is to use the classic Kirchhoff Rod Theory and add a necessary term that couples the bending and twisting energy. Validation with experiments shows that the model captures the equilibrium and longitudinal stiffness of the TCPA in both active and passive states, and the stimulated contraction under external load. Importantly, the model quantifies the influence of the stored energy level on the actuation performance. These concepts can be extended to other types of TCPAs and could enable new material design.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2404_00802
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle The mechanics and physics of twisted and coiled polymer actuators
Wang, Qiong
Ghrayeb, Anan
Kim, SeongHyeon
Cheng, Liuyang
Tawfick, Sameh
Applied Physics
Twisted and coiled polymer actuators (TCPAs) generate large contractile mechanical work mimicking natural muscles, which makes them suitable for robotics and health-assistive devices. Understanding the mechanism of nylon TCPA remains challenging due to the interplay between their intricate geometry, chirality, residual stresses, and material microstructure. This study integrates a material microstructure model with rod theory to analytically predict the equilibrium helical shape of the nylon TCPA after fabrication and to explain the observed contraction mechanism upon stimulation. The first ingredient of the model is to treat nylon as a two-phase thermomechanical microstructure system capable of storing strain energy and exchanging it among the two phases. This is validated by characterizing the torsional actuation response of twisted and annealed nylon fibers. The second ingredient of the model is to use the classic Kirchhoff Rod Theory and add a necessary term that couples the bending and twisting energy. Validation with experiments shows that the model captures the equilibrium and longitudinal stiffness of the TCPA in both active and passive states, and the stimulated contraction under external load. Importantly, the model quantifies the influence of the stored energy level on the actuation performance. These concepts can be extended to other types of TCPAs and could enable new material design.
title The mechanics and physics of twisted and coiled polymer actuators
topic Applied Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2404.00802