Integration of CNT-based actuators for bio-medical applications — Example printed circuit board CNT actuator pipette

Abstract

In order to strengthen the position of CNT actuator technology and fasten the transfer of scientific results into application development and market introduction scientific institutes AIST Kansai and Fraunhofer IPA cooperated in the field of electroactive polymers.Automated dosing of small amounts of liquids normally involves quite large pipettes and motors for pipette actuation. Miniaturized pipettes can enable new areas, in which micro dosing is demanded and could be particularly beneficial in the field of medical or (bio-) chemical applications.The approach was the direct integration of a bending CNT actuator into a PCB design, which enables a frictionless induction of movement onto a liquid. The driving electronics control the actuator with a low voltage and can be placed on the same PCB.The result is a smooth, tailorable dispensation of liquid from the pipette with the ability to integrate the pipette into a fully automated system.

Integrating Ionic Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Sensors Into Adaptive Building Skins – Potentials and Limitations

“…However, the complex manufacturing techniques required for synthesizing and doping conductive polymers such as polypyrrole or PEDOT:PSS as well as the laboratory production of typically very thin actuators resulting in relatively low blocking forces have so far hindered a greater commercial adoption of this IEAP technology. CNT actuators on the other hand have reproducibly delivered strong actuation merits in previous projects (Addinall et al, 2014) and the authors believe that their simple and up-scalable manufacturing techniques, their proven in-air operability and their sensory capabilities are important features when assessing their application potential for civil engineering structures. Without eliminating the possibility of other IEAP species also being compatible for the described application scenarios, CNT actuators were regarded as a premium choice for this project.…”

“…Using ANSYS Workbench, the actuation is virtually initiated by a thermal load assigned to the electric contacts of the actuator. It causes the actuator electrodes to expand and to shrink, respectively, due to different thermal expansion coefficients assigned to the two electrodes (Addinall et al, 2014). By matching the thermal conductivity parameters of the electrode material with measured deformation data from rectangular bending actuators, a realistic simulation model could be implemented that is able to predict the motion kinematics of any actuator shape.…”

Ionic Polymer Actuators: Principle, Fabrication and Applications

“…So, we are willing to test the potential of BGAs as a micropipette. This project has been done by collaborations with Fraunhofer IPA (Stuttgart, Germany) [45]. A BGA (black square film) was set into the printed circuit boards (PCBs) to apply voltages as shown in Figure 11.…”

Self-Sensing Ionic Polymer Actuators: A Review

“…IEAPs stand out as strong candidates for actuators in a wide ranges of applications including but not limited to biomimetic robotics [12][13][14][15][16], varifocal optics [17][18][19], haptic displays [20,21], space technology [22,23], microfluidic systems [24][25][26], and biology-on-chip devices [27]. The large number of possible application areas can be attributed to the unique properties of these actuators, such as softness, silent operation, fairly simple structure that allows easy miniaturization, adjustable actuation trajectories, ability to function in liquid environments, and optionally metal-free composition, to name a few.…”