Ultralight thin-film flexible actuators based on shape memory alloy

IF 7.1 1区工程技术 Q1 ENGINEERING, MECHANICAL

International Journal of Mechanical Sciences Pub Date : 2025-05-27 DOI:10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2025.110437

Xiaozhou Lü , Yiyang Liu , Yaoguang Shi , Hongyao Tang , Weimin Bao

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Recently, shape memory alloy (SMA)-based flexible actuators have emerged as a favored choice for various flexible mechanical systems due to their high energy density, low noise levels, and the ability to directly heat through Joule heat. However, existing SMA actuators cannot achieve high levels of miniaturization, weight reduction, and flexibility, while suffering from low actuation frequency, limiting their application potential in flexible actuation systems. Inspired by biological joint structures, this study presents an innovative SMA wire-based actuator. The proposed actuator consists of a 0.05 mm thick polyimide tape and two SMA wires with a diameter of 0.1 mm, and can achieve bidirectional control through the alternate activation of two SMA wires. In addition, the actuator weighs only 0.03 g with a thickness of just 0.1 mm, demonstrates a maximum actuation frequency of approximately 0.5 Hz, exhibiting exceptional flexibility. The proposed flexible actuators were used to design a small-scale, worm-like robot and a mechanical flexible gripper to grasp lightweight objects, as well as a controllable flexible valve for liquid mixing and separation. The results demonstrate the substantial applicability of the proposed actuator design.

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基于形状记忆合金的超轻薄膜柔性致动器

最近，基于形状记忆合金（SMA）的柔性致动器因其高能量密度、低噪音水平和通过焦耳热直接加热的能力而成为各种柔性机械系统的首选。然而，现有的SMA致动器无法实现高水平的小型化、轻量化和灵活性，同时还存在致动频率低的问题，限制了其在柔性致动系统中的应用潜力。受生物关节结构的启发，本研究提出了一种创新的基于SMA导线的驱动器。该驱动器由0.05 mm厚的聚酰亚胺胶带和直径0.1 mm的SMA线组成，通过交替激活两根SMA线实现双向控制。此外，该驱动器的重量仅为0.03 g，厚度仅为0.1 mm，最大驱动频率约为0.5 Hz，具有出色的灵活性。利用所提出的柔性执行器设计了一种小型的蠕虫状机器人和一种机械柔性抓取器，用于抓取轻质物体，以及一种用于液体混合和分离的可控柔性阀。结果表明，所提出的执行器设计具有很强的适用性。

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来源期刊

International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 工程技术-工程：机械

CiteScore

12.80

自引率

17.80%

发文量

769

审稿时长

19 days

期刊介绍： The International Journal of Mechanical Sciences (IJMS) serves as a global platform for the publication and dissemination of original research that contributes to a deeper scientific understanding of the fundamental disciplines within mechanical, civil, and material engineering. The primary focus of IJMS is to showcase innovative and ground-breaking work that utilizes analytical and computational modeling techniques, such as Finite Element Method (FEM), Boundary Element Method (BEM), and mesh-free methods, among others. These modeling methods are applied to diverse fields including rigid-body mechanics (e.g., dynamics, vibration, stability), structural mechanics, metal forming, advanced materials (e.g., metals, composites, cellular, smart) behavior and applications, impact mechanics, strain localization, and other nonlinear effects (e.g., large deflections, plasticity, fracture). Additionally, IJMS covers the realms of fluid mechanics (both external and internal flows), tribology, thermodynamics, and materials processing. These subjects collectively form the core of the journal's content. In summary, IJMS provides a prestigious platform for researchers to present their original contributions, shedding light on analytical and computational modeling methods in various areas of mechanical engineering, as well as exploring the behavior and application of advanced materials, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and materials processing.