Electrically controlled polymeric gel actuators

Patent · Thu Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:868946

Adolf, Douglas B ^[1]; Shahinpoor, Mohsen ^[1]; Segalman, Daniel J ^[1]; Witkowski, Walter R ^[1]

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1. Albuquerque, NM

Electrically controlled polymeric gel actuators or synthetic muscles capable of undergoing substantial expansion and contraction when subjected to changing pH environments, temperature, or solvent. The actuators employ compliant containers for the gels and their solvents. The gels employed may be cylindrical electromechanical gel fibers such as polyacrylamide fibers or a mixture of poly vinyl alcohol-polyacrylic acid arranged in a parallel aggregate and contained in an electrolytic solvent bath such as salt water. The invention includes smart, electrically activated devices exploiting this phenomenon. These devices are capable of being manipulated via active computer control as large displacement actuators for use in adaptive structure such as robots.

• Research Organization: AT & T CORP
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5250167
• OSTI ID: 868946
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/204/
acid
acrylic acid
activated
active
actuators
adaptive
aggregate
alcohol-polyacrylic
arranged
bath
capable
changing
compliant
computer
computer control
contained
containers
contraction
control
controlled
controlled polymeric
cylindrical
devices
displacement
electrically
electrically controlled
electrolytic
electrolytic solvent
electromechanical
employ
employed
environments
expansion
exploiting
fibers
gels
manipulated
mixture
muscles
parallel
ph
phenomenon
poly
polyacrylamide
polyacrylic acid
polymeric
robots
salt
salt water
smart
solvent
solvent bath
solvents
structure
subjected
substantial
substantial expansion
synthetic
temperature
undergoing
via
vinyl
vinyl alcohol
water