V2O5 nanofibre sheet actuators.
Vanadium oxides, such as V2O5, are promising for lithium-ion batteries, catalysis, electrochromic devices and sensors. Vanadium oxides were proposed more than a decade ago for another redox-dependent application: the direct conversion of electrical energy to mechanical energy in actuators (artificial muscles). Although related conducting polymer and carbon nanotube actuators have been demonstrated, electromechanical actuators based on vanadium oxides have not be realized. V2O5 nanofibres and nanotubes provide the potential advantages of low-cost synthesis by sol-gel routes and high charging capacity and long cycle life. Here, we demonstrate electromechanical actuation for obtained high modulus V2O5 sheets comprising entangled V2O5 nanofibres. The high surface area of these V2O5 sheets facilitates electrochemical charge injection and intercalation that causes the electromechanical actuation. We show that the V2O5 sheets provide high Young's modulus, high actuator-generated stress, and high actuator stroke at low applied voltage.
Gu
Gang
G
Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung, Heisenbergstrasse 1, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany. gu@monano.com
Schmid
Michael
M
Chiu
Po-Wen
PW
Minett
Andrew
A
Fraysse
Jerôme
J
Kim
Gyu-Tae
GT
Roth
Siegmar
S
Kozlov
Mikhail
M
Muñoz
Edgar
E
Baughman
Ray H
RH