期刊
ADVANCED MATERIALS
卷 34, 期 23, 页码 -出版社
WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH
DOI: 10.1002/adma.202200857
关键词
3D printing; liquid crystal elastomers; Peltier effect; regenerative energy harvesting; Seebeck effect; soft robotic actuators; thermoelectric generators
类别
资金
- AFOSR Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative [FA9550-18- 1-0566]
- U.S. Army Research Office [W911NF1810150]
- Nano-Bio Materials Consortium (NBMC)
- National Science Foundation [IIS2047912]
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education
- SEMI
- U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) [W911NF1810150] Funding Source: U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)
Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are combined with soft, stretchable thermoelectrics to create electrically controlled actuators, active cooling, and thermal-to-electrical energy conversion. This innovative combination allows for closed-loop control, walking towards a heat source, and autonomous deflection in soft systems, increasing energy recuperation efficiency.
Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) have attracted tremendous interest as actuators for soft robotics due to their mechanical and shape memory properties. However, LCE actuators typically respond to thermal stimulation through active Joule heating and passive cooling, which make them difficult to control. In this work, LCEs are combined with soft, stretchable thermoelectrics to create transducers capable of electrically controlled actuation, active cooling, and thermal-to-electrical energy conversion. The thermoelectric layers are composed of semiconductors embedded within a 3D printed elastomer matrix and wired together with eutectic gallium-indium (EGaIn) liquid metal interconnects. This layer is covered on both sides with LCE, which alternately heats and cools to achieve cyclical bending actuation in response to voltage-controlled Peltier activation. Moreover, the thermoelectric layer can harvest energy from thermal gradients between the two LCE layers through the Seebeck effect, allowing for regenerative energy harvesting. As demonstrations, first, closed-loop control of the transducer is performed to rapidly track a changing actuator position. Second, a soft robotic walker that is capable of walking toward a heat source and harvesting energy is introduced. Lastly, phototropic-inspired autonomous deflection of the limbs toward a heat source is shown, demonstrating an additional method to increase energy recuperation efficiency for soft systems.
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