4 research outputs found
Controllable Multimodal Actuation in Fully Printed Ultrathin Micro-Patterned Electrochemical Actuators
Submillimeter or micrometer scale electrically controlled
soft
actuators have immense potential in microrobotics, haptics, and biomedical
applications. However, the fabrication of miniaturized and micropatterned
open-air soft actuators has remained challenging. In this study, we
demonstrate the microfabrication of trilayer electrochemical actuators
(ECAs) through aerosol jet printing (AJP), a rapid prototyping method
with a 10 μm lateral resolution. We make fully printed 1000
× 5000 × 12 μm3 ultrathin ECAs, each of
which comprises a Nafion electrolyte layer sandwiched between two
poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)
electrode layers. The ECAs actuate due to the electric-field-driven
migration of hydrated protons. Due to the thinness that gives rise
to a low proton transport length and a low flexural rigidity, the
printed ECAs can operate under low voltages (∼0.5 V) and have
a relatively fast response (∼seconds). We print all the components
of an actuator that consists of two individually controlled submillimeter
segments and demonstrate its multimodal actuation. The convenience,
versatility, rapidity, and low cost of our microfabrication strategy
promise future developments in integrating arrays of intricately patterned
individually controlled soft microactuators on compact stretchable
electronic circuits
Controllable Multimodal Actuation in Fully Printed Ultrathin Micro-Patterned Electrochemical Actuators
Submillimeter or micrometer scale electrically controlled
soft
actuators have immense potential in microrobotics, haptics, and biomedical
applications. However, the fabrication of miniaturized and micropatterned
open-air soft actuators has remained challenging. In this study, we
demonstrate the microfabrication of trilayer electrochemical actuators
(ECAs) through aerosol jet printing (AJP), a rapid prototyping method
with a 10 μm lateral resolution. We make fully printed 1000
× 5000 × 12 μm3 ultrathin ECAs, each of
which comprises a Nafion electrolyte layer sandwiched between two
poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)
electrode layers. The ECAs actuate due to the electric-field-driven
migration of hydrated protons. Due to the thinness that gives rise
to a low proton transport length and a low flexural rigidity, the
printed ECAs can operate under low voltages (∼0.5 V) and have
a relatively fast response (∼seconds). We print all the components
of an actuator that consists of two individually controlled submillimeter
segments and demonstrate its multimodal actuation. The convenience,
versatility, rapidity, and low cost of our microfabrication strategy
promise future developments in integrating arrays of intricately patterned
individually controlled soft microactuators on compact stretchable
electronic circuits
Controllable Multimodal Actuation in Fully Printed Ultrathin Micro-Patterned Electrochemical Actuators
Submillimeter or micrometer scale electrically controlled
soft
actuators have immense potential in microrobotics, haptics, and biomedical
applications. However, the fabrication of miniaturized and micropatterned
open-air soft actuators has remained challenging. In this study, we
demonstrate the microfabrication of trilayer electrochemical actuators
(ECAs) through aerosol jet printing (AJP), a rapid prototyping method
with a 10 μm lateral resolution. We make fully printed 1000
× 5000 × 12 μm3 ultrathin ECAs, each of
which comprises a Nafion electrolyte layer sandwiched between two
poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)
electrode layers. The ECAs actuate due to the electric-field-driven
migration of hydrated protons. Due to the thinness that gives rise
to a low proton transport length and a low flexural rigidity, the
printed ECAs can operate under low voltages (∼0.5 V) and have
a relatively fast response (∼seconds). We print all the components
of an actuator that consists of two individually controlled submillimeter
segments and demonstrate its multimodal actuation. The convenience,
versatility, rapidity, and low cost of our microfabrication strategy
promise future developments in integrating arrays of intricately patterned
individually controlled soft microactuators on compact stretchable
electronic circuits
Controllable Multimodal Actuation in Fully Printed Ultrathin Micro-Patterned Electrochemical Actuators
Submillimeter or micrometer scale electrically controlled
soft
actuators have immense potential in microrobotics, haptics, and biomedical
applications. However, the fabrication of miniaturized and micropatterned
open-air soft actuators has remained challenging. In this study, we
demonstrate the microfabrication of trilayer electrochemical actuators
(ECAs) through aerosol jet printing (AJP), a rapid prototyping method
with a 10 μm lateral resolution. We make fully printed 1000
× 5000 × 12 μm3 ultrathin ECAs, each of
which comprises a Nafion electrolyte layer sandwiched between two
poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)
electrode layers. The ECAs actuate due to the electric-field-driven
migration of hydrated protons. Due to the thinness that gives rise
to a low proton transport length and a low flexural rigidity, the
printed ECAs can operate under low voltages (∼0.5 V) and have
a relatively fast response (∼seconds). We print all the components
of an actuator that consists of two individually controlled submillimeter
segments and demonstrate its multimodal actuation. The convenience,
versatility, rapidity, and low cost of our microfabrication strategy
promise future developments in integrating arrays of intricately patterned
individually controlled soft microactuators on compact stretchable
electronic circuits