title: Fast and Reversible Actuation of Metallic Muscles Composed of Nickel Nanowire-Forest.
abstract: Surface-charge-induced reversible and millimeter-scale deflection is found in a bilayered Ni cantilever upon cyclic potential triggering. The nanowire-forest structure, in which unidirectional primary nanowires are evenly separated by cross-linking subnanowires, ensures fast ion transport leading to a record-high strain response time ≈0.1 s. The actuation is sustainable beyond 800 cycles; the strain energy is compatible with human skeletal muscles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P. R. China.|Institut für Werkstoffphysik und Werkstofftechnologie, Technische Universität Hamburg-Harburg, 21073, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Chuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Institut für Werkstoffphysik und Werkstofftechnologie, Technische Universität Hamburg-Harburg, 21073, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weissmüller
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Alfonso H W
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Ngan
keywords: artificial muscles; electrochemical actuation; electrochemical double layer; nanoporous metals; surface-charge-induced strain