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Large‐Stroke Electrochemical Carbon Nanotube/Graphene Hybrid Yarn Muscles
Author(s) -
Qiao Jian,
Di Jiangtao,
Zhou Susheng,
Jin Kaiyun,
Zeng Sha,
Li Na,
Fang Shaoli,
Song Yanhui,
Li Min,
Baughman Ray H.,
Li Qingwen
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.201801883
Subject(s) - carbon nanotube , artificial muscle , materials science , graphene , yarn , electrolyte , composite material , ultimate tensile strength , nanofluid , nanotechnology , electrode , nanoparticle , computer science , actuator , chemistry , artificial intelligence
Artificial muscles are reported in which reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is trapped in the helical corridors of a carbon nanotube (CNT) yarn. When electrochemically driven in aqueous electrolytes, these coiled CNT/rGO yarn muscles can contract by 8.1%, which is over six times that of the previous results for CNT yarn muscles driven in an inorganic electrolyte (1.3%). They can contract to provide a final stress of over 14 MPa, which is about 40 times that of natural muscles. The hybrid yarn muscle shows a unique catch state, in which 95% of the contraction is retained for 1000 s following charging and subsequent disconnection from the power supply. Hence, they are unlike thermal muscles and natural muscles, which need to consume energy to maintain contraction. Additionally, these muscles can be reversibly cycled while lifting heavy loads.