Electrically, Chemically, and Photonically Powered Torsional and Tensile Actuation of Hybrid Carbon Nanotube Yarn Muscles

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1226762
• Publication Date: 2012-11-15T20:00:29Z
• Authors: Márcio D. Lima; Na Li; Mônica Jung de An...; Shaoli Fang; Jiyoung Oh; Geoffrey M. Spinks; Mikhail E. Kozlov; Carter S. Haines; Dongseok Suh; Javad Foroughi; Seon Jeong Kim; Yongsheng Chen; Taylor Ware; Min Kyoon Shin; Leonardo D. Machado; Alexandre F. Fonseca; John D. W. Madden; Walter E. Voit; Douglas S. Galvão; Ray H. Baughman
• Keywords: Carbon nanotube actuators

Nanotube Yarn Actuators are used to convert heat, light, or electricity into a twisting tensile motion, and often described as artificial muscles. Most materials that show actuation either provide larger forces with small-amplitude motions, such the alloy NiTi, motions much less force, polymeric materials. Other problems actuators can include slow response times short lifetimes. Lima et al. (p. 928 , see Perspective by Schulz ) range of guest-filled, twist-spun carbon nanotube yarns be for linear torsional actuation, solve speed lifetime, do not require electrolytes operation.