An artificial muscle based on a stiffness-variable CNT spring-like nanocomposite yarn shows controllable and reversible deformation, and potential application.
One of the potential applications for carbon nanotube (CNT) sponge prepared through chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is as a strain sensor. However, the sensitivity of CNT sponge is strongly impeded by the point‐to‐point contact between individual CNTs. A novel method is proposed to introduce reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as a conducting bridge into CNT sponge, in order to dramatically improve the CNT contact. The graphene oxide (GO) is coated onto polystyrene (PS) spheres forming a suspension that is infiltrated into the CVD‐derived CNT sponge under vacuum. The PS spheres are decomposed and GO is reduced by postannealing. Scanning electron microscopy confirms the successful introduction of rGO. A small amount of rGO can effectively increase the electrical conductivity of the CNT sponge by ≈30% without an observable increase in density. A dramatic increment of 66% in sensitivity factor is achieved. Compared with CNT sponge, the microwave shielding effectiveness of the rGO/CNT hybrid sponge is 50% larger. This hybrid sponge is very promising for use as a high‐sensitivity strain sensor in different environments (both in the air and under water) and for high‐efficiency electromagnetic shielding protection.
Actuators based on
carbon nanotube (CNT) yarn have attracted extensive
attention due to their great properties and potential applications
such as artificial muscles, sensors, intelligent robots, and so on.
However, the CNT yarn actuators with one-dimensional structure were
often only used to drive through electrochemical, thermal, or electrical
stimulation, which limits the applications of CNT yarn actuators.
In addition, the slow response speed, low output stress, uncontrollable
driving deformation, and self-recovery without an external stimulus
are also great challenges. Here, we propose a photoactuator with large
output stress, fast response speed, large and reversible driving deformation,
and good reusability based on stiffness-variable CNT nanocomposite
yarn (CNT-NCY). Such a CNT-NCY photoactuator can achieve torsional
and contractive actuation under irradiation of near-infrared (NIR)
light; it is important that the actuation is reversible and controllable.
The maximum rotation rate of the CNT-NCY photoactuator during the
torsional actuation is about 45 rpm, and the contractive deformation
can reach more than 9%. This CNT-NCY photoactuator can create more
than 12 MPa output stress, which is 40 times higher than that of the
human skeletal muscle. The driving mechanism of this CNT-NCY photoactuator
has been analyzed, and its potential application has also been demonstrated.
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