多刺激响应液晶弹性体/液态金属复合纤维驱动器的制备及其驱动性能研究

Preparation of multi-stimulation response liquid crystal elastomer/liquid metal composite fiber actuator and its driving performance research

  • 摘要: 液晶弹性体(LCE)作为智能软材料,近年在人工肌肉、软机器人和智能可穿戴等领域受到广泛关注。本文通过干法纺丝和两步交联策略制备直径均匀、形态良好的LCE纤维,随后将具有优异光热和导电性能的液态金属(LM)均匀的涂覆在LCE表面制得具备多刺激响应的LM-LCE复合纤维。探究了LM的引入对LCE纤维性能的影响,并对LM-LCE复合纤维进行驱动性能研究。结果表明LM-LCE复合纤维在热刺激下,8 s内可达到40%左右的驱动应变;在近红外光(NIR)刺激下,6 s内可达到30%的纤维驱动应变;在电刺激下,随着电压的增大,复合纤维驱动速率和驱动应变会随着增加且驱动性能稳定。本研究设计制备的LM-LCE复合纤维致动器为构建新型多刺激响应软机器人及柔性智能可穿戴器件提供了一条新思路。

     

    Abstract: Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs), as smart soft materials, have attracted much attention in recent years in the fields of artificial muscles, soft robots and smart wearables. Among them, LCE fibers have a broad application prospect due to their large reversible deformation, braidable properties and excellent mechanical strength. In this paper, LCE fibers with uniform diameter and good morphology are prepared by dry spinning and two-step crosslinking strategy, and then LM-LCE fibers with multi-stimulation response are prepared by uniformly coating liquid metal (LM) on the surface of LCE. The effect of the introduction of LM on the performance of LCE fibers was explored, and the driving performance of LM-LCE composite fibers was investigated, and the results showed that the LM-LCE composite fibers could reach about 40% of the actuation strain within 8s under thermal stimulation. Under the stimulation of infrared light (NIR), 30% of the fiber actuation strain can be achieved within 6 s. The results show that the LM-LCE composite fiber can be driven by the voltage of the fiber within 8 s. Under electrical stimulation, the fiber becomes larger in driving rate and driving performance with the increase of voltage, and the actuation strain can finally reach about 35%, which is slightly lower than that of thermal actuation. And the reuse performance of LM-LCE fiber is good, and the driving performance of the fiber is stable in 100 times of electric or thermal driving. The LM-LCE composite fiber actuator designed and prepared in this study provides a new idea for the construction of novel multi-stimulus responsive soft robots and flexible smart wearable devices.

     

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