摘要：

Electroactive polymers that exhibitcontrolled deformation underan applied electric field, either in liquid or air, have great potentialas soft robotic actuators. However, materials for soft robotics currentlyface challenges, including slow response, high actuation potential,and a lack of underlying mechanistic understanding. Additionally,fabrication of soft robotic actuators with complex design featureshas historically been restricted by two-dimensional fabrication methods.In this work, we investigate cross-linked poly(acrylic acid)-basedactuators prepared utilizing digital light projection (DLP), an additivemanufacturing technique that enables fabrication of actuators withcomplex geometries. A series of photopolymerizable inks are preparedincorporating acrylic acid (monomer), trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate(cross-linker), and phenylbis(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphine oxide(photoinitiator). Soft actuators are 3D-printed utilizing a commercialDLP 3D printer operating under 405 nm UV light. These 3D-printed actuatorsexhibit large deformation (up to 43°), high actuation speed (upto 1.08°/s), and stable actuation performance for bending cyclesunder relatively low actuation voltage (4–6 V). Factors suchas acrylic acid content, cross-linker concentration, actuator thicknesses,and electric field strength are varied, and their impact on the 3D-printedactuators are evaluated and discussed. Lastly, a membrane valve actuatoris fabricated, and its ability to open and close under applied potentialis demonstrated.

展开