Artificial Cilia: Generation of Magnetic Actuators in Microfluidic Systems

Magnetic artificial cilia are fabricated from photoreactive copolymer precursors filled with magnetic nanoparticles by a new photolithographic process. Two different crosslinkers and UV‐radiation of two different wavelengths are used to generate arrays of planar magnetically actuatable rubber flaps. The cilia are integrated into a microfluidic channel and operated in water using a rotating permanent magnet.     

Microchemomechanical Systems

The development of microchemomechanical systems (MCMS) as an analogy to microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) is reviewed, with the distinction that the mechanical actuation of microscale structures is effected by chemical cues as opposed to electricity. The intellectual motivation to pursue MCMS, or the creation of integrated chemical‐stimuli‐responsive devices, is that such structures are widely observed in nature. From a practical standpoint, since chemicals can readily diffuse and produce changes over large distances, this approach is especially attractive in enabling wireless and autonomous devices at small size scales.     

Energy density and release rate study of an elliptic-arc interface crack in piezoelectric solid under anti-plane shear

The anti-plane problem of an elliptical inhomogeneity with an interfacial crack in piezoelectric materials is investigated. The system is subjected to arbitrary singularity loads (point charge and anti-plane concentrated force) and remote anti-plane mechanical and in-plane electrical loads. Using the complex variable method, the explicit series form solutions for the complex potentials in the matrix and the inclusion regions are derived. The electroelastic field intensity factors, the corresponding energy release rates and the generalized strain energy density at the cracks tips are then provided. The influence of the aspect ratio of the ellipse, the crack geometry and the electromechanical coupling coefficient on the energy release rate and the strain energy density is discussed and shown in graphs. The results indicate that the energy release rate increases with increment of the aspect ratio of the ellipse and the influence of electromechanical coupling coefficient on the energy release rate is significant. The strain energy density decreases with increment of the aspect radio of the ellipse and it is always positive for the cases discussed. The energy release rate, however, can be negative when both mechanical and fields are applied.     

Relaxor/Ferroelectric Composites: A Solution in the Quest for Practically Viable Lead‐Free Incipient Piezoceramics

Recently developed lead‐free incipient piezoceramics are promising candidates for off‐resonance actuator applications with their exceptionally large electromechanical strains. Their commercialization currently faces two major challenges: high electric field required for activating the large strains and large strain hysteresis. It is demonstrated that design of a relaxor/ferroelectric composite provides a highly effective way to resolve both challenges. Experimental results in conjunction with numerical simulations provide key parameters for the development of viable incipient piezoceramics.     

Superparamagnetic Twist‐Type Actuators with Shape‐Independent Magnetic Properties and Surface Functionalization for Advanced Biomedical Applications

Directed nanoparticle self‐organization and two‐photon polymerization are combined to enable three‐dimensional soft‐magnetic microactuators with complex shapes and shape‐independent magnetic properties. Based on the proposed approach, single and double twist‐type swimming microrobots with programmed magnetic anisotropy are demonstrated, and their swimming properties in DI‐water are characterized. The fabricated devices are actuated using weak rotating magnetic fields and are capable of performing wobble‐free corkscrew propulsion. Single twist‐type actuators possess an increase in surface area in excess of 150% over helical actuators with similar feature size without compromising the forward velocity of over one body length per second. A generic and facile combination of glycine grafting and subsequent protein immobilization exploits the actuator's increased surface area, providing for a swimming microrobotic platform with enhanced load capacity desirable for future biomedical applications. Successful surface modification is confirmed by FITC fluorescence.     

Biocompatible Electromechanical Actuators Composed of Silk‐Conducting Polymer Composites

Single‐component, metal‐free, biocompatible, electromechanical actuator devices are fabricated using a composite material composed of silk fibroin and poly(pyrrole) (PPy). Chemical modification techniques are developed to produce free‐standing films with a bilayer‐type structure, with unmodified silk on one side and an interpenetrating network (IPN) of silk and PPy on the other. The IPN formed between the silk and PPy prohibits delamination, resulting in a durable and fully biocompatible device. The electrochemical stability of these materials is investigated through cyclic voltammetry, and redox sensitivity to the presence of different anions is noted. Free‐end bending actuation performance and force generation within silk‐PPy composite films during oxidation and reduction in a biologically relevant environment are investigated in detail. These silk–PPy composites are stable to repeated actuation, and are able to generate forces comparable with natural muscle (>0.1 MPa), making them ideal candidates for interfacing with biological tissues.     

轴向压缩悬臂梁压电双晶片动静态特性研究

研究施加轴向压缩力于悬臂梁压电双晶片端部以增大端部输出位移和力的问题,对其进行了有限元分析,并推导了弹性力学解析解及模态方程,得到了符合程度较好的结果。研究结果表明,在120V电压及5.5N轴向力作用下,端部阻塞力达0.25N,输出位移较原来增大3倍以上(达5mm),而一阶特征频率随轴向力增大而加速减小。当轴向力达到一阶临界屈曲时,一阶特征频率趋于0,但当轴向力取一阶屈曲力的70%时,其1阶固有频率仍有45Hz,相较于普通伺服舵机有较大的优势,可有效提高微小型飞行器的操稳性。     

基于PVDF压电薄膜的超声波测厚技术探究

开展了基于PVDF压电薄膜的超声波测厚技术研究,通过分析超声波是弹性机械波的一种,在同种均匀介质中,其传播声速一定,当从一种介质进入另一种介质时,在结构表面会发生反射作用。因此,我们可以认为超声波从被测试件的表面发出到接收到另一底面反射波信号的传播间隔时间与被测厚度值成正比关系,从而测量厚度的问题转化成测量超声波在试件中传播时间的问题。基于PVDF压电薄膜的超声波测厚技术将为快速便捷的测量厚度问题提供一种新的手段,并为将来测厚技术系统的开发奠定技术基础,具有工程应用价值。     

Impact response of an interface crack in a hybrid piezoelectric laminate

Summary  In a hybrid laminate containing an interfacial crack between piezoelectric and orthotropic layers, the dynamic field intensity factors and energy release rates are obtained for electro-mechanical impact loading. The analysis is performed within the framework of linear piezoelectricity. By using integral transform techniques, the problem is reduced to the solution of a Fredholm integral equation of the second kind, which is obtained from one pair of dual integral equations. Numerical results for the dynamic stress intensity factor show the influence of the geometry and electric field. Received 29 June 2001; accepted for publication 3 December 2001