Reciprocating power generation in a chemically driven synthetic muscle.
A scalable synthetic muscle has been constructed that transducts nanoscale molecular shape changes into macroscopic motion. The working material, which deforms affinely in response to a pH stimulus, is a self-assembled block copolymer comprising nanoscopic hydrophobic domains in a weak polyacid matrix. A device has been assembled where the muscle does work on a cantilever and the force generated has been measured. When coupled to a chemical oscillator this provides a free running chemical motor that generates a peak power of 20 mW kg(-1) by the serial addition of 10 nm shape changes that scales over 5 orders of magnitude. It is the nanostructured nature of the gel that gives rise to the affine deformation and results in a robust working material for the construction of scalable muscle devices.
Howse
Jonathan R
JR
The Polymer Centre, Department of Chemistry, The University of Sheffield, UK.
Topham
Paul
P
Crook
Colin J
CJ
Gleeson
Anthony J
AJ
Bras
Wim
W
Jones
Richard A L
RA
Ryan
Anthony J
AJ
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004548:Elasticity; D005782:Gels; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009132:Muscles; D049329:Nanostructures; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*
D005782:Gels; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids; C038300:methylmethacrylate-methacrylic acid copolymer