Effects of Hexagonal Boron Nitride Insulating Layers on the Driving Performance of Ionic Electroactive Polymer Actuators for Light-Weight Artificial Muscles.

To improve the energy efficiency and driving performance of ionic electroactive polymer actuators, we propose inserting insulating layers of 170 nm hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) particles between the ionic polymer membrane and electrodes. In experiments, actuators exhibited better capacitance (4.020 × 10 F), displacement (6.

Synthesis of Three-Dimensional Carbon Nanostructure/Copper Nanowire for Additive Interface Layer of Ionic Polymer Metal Composite.

Additive interface materials for improved ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) actuator performance are being investigated. In this study, three-dimensional carbon nanostructure/copper nanowire (3DC Cu-NW) with a novel structure was synthesized via low-pressure chemical vapor deposition. An IPMC actuator with a 3DC Cu-NW interface layer was fabricated, which exhibited improved actuation performance, long-term stability, and electrochemical properties.

Effect of Ionic Polymer Membrane with Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes on the Mechanical Performance of Ionic Electroactive Polymer Actuators.

Ionic electroactive polymer (IEAP) actuators have received interest because of their advantageous properties, including their large displacement, high energy density, light weight, and low power consumption under a low electric field. However, they have a low blocking force under driving, and it is difficult to control the thickness of the ionic polymer membrane. In this study, an IEAP actuator is fabricated using a Nafion membrane with added multiwalled carbon nanotubes to increase the blocking force.

Synthesis of Nitrogen-Doped Graphene on Copper Nanowires for Efficient Thermal Conductivity and Stability by Using Conventional Thermal Chemical Vapor Deposition.

Cu nanowires (NWs) possess remarkable potential a slow-cost heat transfer material in modern electronic devices. However, Cu NWs with high aspect ratios undergo surface oxidation, resulting in performance degradation. A growth temperature of approximately <1000 °C is required for preventing the changing of Cu NW morphology by the melting of Cu NWs at over 1000 °C.

Enhanced Stability and Driving Performance of GO⁻Ag-NW-based Ionic Electroactive Polymer Actuators with Triton X-100-PEDOT:PSS Nanofibrils.

Ionic electroactive polymers (IEAPs) have received considerable attention for their flexibility, lightweight composition, large displacement, and low-voltage activation. Recently, many metal-nonmetal composite electrodes have been actively studied. Specifically, graphene oxide-silver nanowire (GO-Ag NW) composite electrodes offer advantages among IEAPs with metal-nonmetal composite electrodes.

Fast and Stable Ionic Electroactive Polymer Actuators with PEDOT:PSS/(Graphene⁻Ag-Nanowires) Nanocomposite Electrodes.

Ionic electroactive polymer (IEAP) actuators that are driven by electrical stimuli have been widely investigated for use in practical applications. However, conventional electrodes in IEAP actuators have a serious drawback of poor durability under long-term actuation in open air, mainly because of leakage of the inner electrolyte and hydrated cations through surface cracks on the metallic electrodes. To overcome this problem, a top priority is developing new high-performance ionic polymer actuators with graphene electrodes that have superior mechanical, electrical conductivity, and electromechanical properties.

A Three-Dimensional Musculoskeletal Model of the Human Knee Joint. Part 1: Theoretical Construct.

A three-dimensional model of the knee is developed to study the interactions between the muscles, ligaments, and bones during activity. The geometry of the distal femur, proximal tibia, and patella is based on cadaver data reported for an average-size knee. The shapes of the femoral condyles are represented by high-order polynomials; the tibial plateaux and patellar facets are approximated as flat surfaces.