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All‐Solid‐State Electro‐Chemo‐Mechanical Actuator Operating at Room Temperature
Author(s) -
Makagon Evgeniy,
Wachtel Ellen,
Houben Lothar,
Cohen Sidney R.,
Li Yuanyuan,
Li Junying,
Frenkel Anatoly I.,
Lubomirsky Igor
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.202006712
Subject(s) - materials science , actuator , electrolyte , oxide , microelectromechanical systems , nanocomposite , composite material , membrane , electrochemistry , ion , stress (linguistics) , chemical engineering , voltage , deformation (meteorology) , quasi solid , electrode , nanotechnology , electrical engineering , metallurgy , linguistics , chemistry , physics , philosophy , quantum mechanics , biology , dye sensitized solar cell , genetics , engineering
Dimensional change in a solid due to electrochemically driven compositional change is termed electro‐chemo‐mechanical (ECM) coupling. This effect causes mechanical instability in Li‐ion batteries and solid oxide fuel cells. Nevertheless, it can generate considerable force and deformation, making it attractive for mechanical actuation. Here a Si‐compatible ECM actuator in the form of a 2 mm diameter membrane is demonstrated. Actuation results from oxygen ion transfer between two 0.1 µ m thick Ti oxide\Ce 0.8 Gd 0.2 O 1.9 nanocomposite layers separated by a 1.5 µ m thick Ce 0.8 Gd 0.2 O 1.9 solid electrolyte. The chemical reaction responsible for stress generation is electrochemical oxidation/reduction in the composites. Under ambient conditions, application of 5 V DC produces actuator response within seconds, generating vertical displacement of several µm with calculated stress ≈ 3.5 MPa. The membrane actuator preserves its final mechanical state for more than 1 h following voltage removal. These characteristics uniquely suit ECM actuators for room temperature applications in Si‐integrated microelectromechanical systems.