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Photomechanical actuation in polymer–nanotube composites

Nature Materials volume 4, pages 491–495 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

For some systems, energy from an external source can trigger changes in the internal state of the structure, leading to a mechanical response much larger than the initial input. The ability to unlock this internal work in a solid-state structure is of key importance for many potential applications. We report a novel phenomenon of photo-induced mechanical actuation observed in a polymer–nanotube composite when exposed to infrared radiation. At small strains the sample tends to expand, when stimulated by photons, by an amount that is orders of magnitude greater than the pristine polymer. Conversely, at larger applied pre-strain, it will contract under identical infrared excitation. The behaviour is modelled as a function of orientational ordering of nanotubes induced by the uniaxial extension. It is thought that no other materials can display this continuously reversible response of so large a magnitude, making rubber nanocomposites important for actuator applications.

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Figure 1: Scheme of apparatus, X-ray scattering image and the azimuthal intensity scan.
Figure 2: Response to IR radiation at different values of pre-strain.
Figure 3: Stress–strain variation under IR irradiation.
Figure 4: Summary of IR response.
Figure 5: Scheme of local and macroscopic strains, and the prediction of the actuation model.

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Acknowledgements

We thank S. Courty, G. Lagubeau, A.R. Tajbakhsh, A.M. Squires, R. A. Vaia and H. Körner for useful discussions. We also thank A. Hayer for assistance with calibration of the light source. This work was carried out with the support of the EPSRC, EOARD (043018), the ESA-ESTEC (18351/04) and a CASE award from Makevale Ltd.

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  1. Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK

    Samit V. Ahir & Eugene M. Terentjev

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  1. Samit V. Ahir
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  2. Eugene M. Terentjev
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Correspondence to Eugene M. Terentjev.

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Ahir, S., Terentjev, E. Photomechanical actuation in polymer–nanotube composites. Nature Mater 4, 491–495 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat1391

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