Magnetoactive elastomer/PVDF composite film based magnetically controllable actuator with real-time deformation feedback property

• Published in: Composites. Part A, Applied science and manufacturing Vol. 103; pp. 25 - 34
• Main Authors: Feng, Jiabin, Xuan, Shouhu, Ding, Li, Gong, Xinglong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2017
• Subjects: A. Polymer-matrix composites (PMCs); A. Smart materials; B. Magnetic properties; B. Mechanical properties; Magnetoactive elastomer; A. Polymer-matrix composites (PMCs); B. Magnetic properties; B. Mechanical properties; A. Smart materials; Magnetoactive elastomer
• ISSN: 1359-835X; 1878-5840
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2017.09.004

This work reported a high performance flexible magnetically controllable actuator based on magnetoactive elastomer (MAE) and poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) composite film. The magnetic-mechanic-electric coupling properties of the actuator were systematically investigated by cyclical wrinkle, magnetic bending, and stretching test. The induced charge under a magnetic bending can reach as large as 158pC even at small magnetic field of 100mT with the bending angle up to almost 90° within 0.6s. Moreover, a new model was proposed to theoretically reveal the intrinsic correspondence. The model matches well with the experimental results. Based on this kind of actuator, a magnetically controllable tentacle is developed, which could grasp, transport, and release object by switching the supplied current. Due to the real-time deformation feedback characteristics, this kind of actuators can find wide applications in actively controllable engineering, artificial robotics, and biomedicine.