Mechanical Characterization of Bucky Gel Morphing Composite

摘要

In the last decade, a great effort has been made to fabricate electrically triggered morphing composites. Bucky gel, a gelatinous mixture of carbon nanotubes and an ionic liquid at room temperature, was successfully employed in a soft actuator (2005). This three-layered bimorph composite is operable in air, and unlike the first generation of this type of morphing composite, it does not require an electrolyte solution for operation. The simple fabrication procedure and the fact that it can operate with only a few volts makes bucky gel actuator an excellent candidate for applications in morphing composite by replacing other alternatives such as Ionic Polymer Metal Composites (IPMC). Here, we have investigated the effect of several material and geometrical parameters (thickness, layer combinations, and carbon nanotube weight fraction) on the storage and loss moduli of this novel three-layered bimorph composite. Two different types of carbon nanotubes (pristine single-walled and functionalized multi-walled) were employed in fabrication of samples to examine their influence on mechanical behavior. The results show that regular Bucky Gel Actuator (BGA) with 22 wt% Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes has the best mechanical properties.'