Investigation on High Energy Density Materials Utilizing Biological Transport Mechanisms

• DOI: 10.1115/imece2004-60714
• Publication Date: 2008-04-02T16:46:10Z
• Authors: Vishnu Baba Sunda...; Honghui Tan; Donald J. Leo; John Cuppoletti
• Keywords: 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology

Biological systems such as plants produce large deformations due to the conversion of chemical energy to mechanical energy. These chemomechanical energy conversions are controlled by the transport of charge and fluid across permeable membranes within the cellular structure of the biological system. In this paper we analyze the potential for using biological transport mechanisms to produce materials with controllable actuation properties. An energetics analysis is performed to quantify the relationship between the introduction of chemical energy in the form of ATP to the resulting osmotic pressure variation within an enclosed membrane. Our analysis demonstrates that pressure variations of between 5 and 15 MPa are achievable. The pressure variations are then coupled to a finite element analysis to determine the ability of organized arrays to produce extensional and bending actuation in thin membranes. Our analysis demonstrates that internal pressure variations on the order of 10 MPa can produce actuation materials with extensional energy density on the order of 100 kJ/m3 and bending energy density on the order of 10 kJ/m3.