Recently, the team led by Prof. Xu Fujun from the College of Textiles at DHU has made significant progress in the soft electrothermal actuators.The research result was published in the Nano LettersentitledHighly responsive soft electrothermal actuator with high-output force based on polydimethylsiloxane coated carbon nanotube sponge. The first author is ZhouBangze, a Ph.D. student from the College of Textiles atDHU, Class of 22, and the corresponding author is Prof. Xu Fujun.
Due to their high flexibility and versatility, soft actuators hold great potential for widespread applications in fields such as artificial muscles, cell scaffolds, micromanipulators, and soft robotics. Taking inspiration from the first law of thermodynamics, this study presents a highly responsive soft electrothermal actuator with a high-output force achieved by integrating both electrothermal and pneumatic driving modes. This design aligns with the characteristics of miniaturization, lightweight, and flexibility which are essential for soft actuators. As a result, it opens up exciting new frontiers in the development of intelligent actuators, multifunctional e-textiles, smart robots, medical devices, and beyond.
