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Low‐Voltage Reversible Electroadhesion of Ionoelastomer Junctions
Author(s) -
Kim Hyeong Jun,
Paquin Lindsay,
Barney Christopher W.,
So Soonyong,
Chen Baohong,
Suo Zhigang,
Crosby Alfred J.,
Hayward Ryan C.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.202000600
Subject(s) - materials science , electric field , voltage , adhesion , dielectric , optoelectronics , polarity (international relations) , nanotechnology , ionic bonding , high voltage , electrical engineering , composite material , chemistry , ion , biochemistry , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , cell , engineering
Electroadhesion provides a simple route to rapidly and reversibly control adhesion using applied electric potentials, offering promise for a variety of applications including haptics and robotics. Current electroadhesives, however, suffer from key limitations associated with the use of high operating voltages (>kV) and corresponding failure due to dielectric breakdown. Here, a new type of electroadhesion based on heterojunctions between iono‐elastomer of opposite polarity is demonstrated, which can be operated at potentials as low as ≈1 V. The large electric field developed across the molecular‐scale ionic double layer (IDL) when the junction is placed under reverse bias allows for strong adhesion at low voltages. In contrast, under forward bias, the electric field across the IDL is destroyed, substantially lowering the adhesion in a reversible fashion. These ionoelastomer electroadhesives are highly efficient with respect to the force capacity per electrostatic capacitive energy and are robust to defects or damage that typically lead to catastrophic failure of conventional dielectric electroadhesives. The findings provide new fundamental insight into low‐voltage electroadhesion and broaden its possible applications.