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Title: Electrically controlled polymeric gel actuators

Abstract

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.

Inventors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Albuquerque, NM
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
AT&T
OSTI Identifier:
868946
Patent Number(s):
5250167
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
A - HUMAN NECESSITIES A61 - MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE A61B - DIAGNOSIS
A - HUMAN NECESSITIES A61 - MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE A61F - FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-76DP00789
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
electrically; controlled; polymeric; actuators; synthetic; muscles; capable; undergoing; substantial; expansion; contraction; subjected; changing; ph; environments; temperature; solvent; employ; compliant; containers; gels; solvents; employed; cylindrical; electromechanical; fibers; polyacrylamide; mixture; poly; vinyl; alcohol-polyacrylic; acid; arranged; parallel; aggregate; contained; electrolytic; bath; salt; water; smart; activated; devices; exploiting; phenomenon; manipulated; via; active; computer; control; displacement; adaptive; structure; robots; substantial expansion; polyacrylic acid; computer control; acrylic acid; salt water; solvent bath; electrolytic solvent; vinyl alcohol; electrically controlled; controlled polymeric; /204/

Citation Formats

Adolf, Douglas B, Shahinpoor, Mohsen, Segalman, Daniel J, and Witkowski, Walter R. Electrically controlled polymeric gel actuators. United States: N. p., 1993. Web.
Adolf, Douglas B, Shahinpoor, Mohsen, Segalman, Daniel J, & Witkowski, Walter R. Electrically controlled polymeric gel actuators. United States.
Adolf, Douglas B, Shahinpoor, Mohsen, Segalman, Daniel J, and Witkowski, Walter R. Fri . "Electrically controlled polymeric gel actuators". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/868946.
@article{osti_868946,
title = {Electrically controlled polymeric gel actuators},
author = {Adolf, Douglas B and Shahinpoor, Mohsen and Segalman, Daniel J and Witkowski, Walter R},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1993},
month = {1}
}

Patent: