Soft robots have become integral parts of our daily lives as wearable technology increasingly influences our world. These devices promise enhanced functionality and greater adaptability, which makes our interactions with technology more natural and seamless.
Developing Active Electrode Materials
In electrochemical systems, transforming electrical energy into chemical energy is driven by the migration of electrolyte ions between the opposite electrodes. High cycling efficiency, long cycle life, and exceptional manipulability gained by precise structural modifications of both electrode and electrolyte make electrical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) suitable for future energy storage devices.
Recent advances in developing electronically conjugated carbon materials with good capacitance were found to be potential active electrode materials for soft actuators. However, creating a surface-functionalized active electrode material with desired characteristics under ultra-low voltages remains challenging.
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Ionic Polymer Artificial Muscle
On January 4, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced that a group of researchers led by Professor Ilkwon Oh from the Department of Mechanical Engineering had developed a soft fluidic switch that operates at ultra-low voltage. The result of their study is discussed in the paper "Polysulfonated covalent organic framework as active electrode host for mobile cation guests in the electrochemical soft actuator."
Just like traditional motors, artificial muscles imitate human muscles with more flexible and natural movements. These characteristics are some basic elements used in soft robots, wearable devices, and medical devices.
The artificial muscles respond to external stimuli like air pressure, electricity, and temperature changes to create movements. It is, therefore, important that these movements are precisely controlled to utilize the artificial muscles.
Switches based on conventional motors were difficult to use within limited spaces because of their rigidity and large size. To address this problem, the researchers developed an electro-ionic soft actuator to control fluid flow while producing large amounts of force, even in a narrow pipe.
The ionic polymer artificial muscle developed by Professor Oh and his colleagues is made of metal electrodes and ionic polymers, which allow it to generate force and movement in response to electricity. To generate an impressive amount of force relative to its weight with ultra-low power of ~0.01 V, a polysulfonated covalent organic framework (pS-COF) was made by combining organic molecules on the surface of the artificial muscle electrode.
As a result of this combination, the artificial muscle, made to be as thin as hair with a thickness of 180 micrometers, generated a force that is more than 34 times greater than its light weight of 10 milligrams. From these findings, the research team was able to control the direction of fluid flow in a precise manner using low power.
According to Professor Oh, their developed electrochemical soft fluidic switch can open up many possibilities in soft electronics, soft robots, and microfluidics based on fluid control. He added that this technology can be immediately used in different industrial settings since it can be applied to smart fibers and biomedical devices.
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