TY - GEN
T1 - Effect of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) on the electromechanical response of a polyimide nanocomposite
AU - Deshmukh, Sujay
AU - Call, Chris
AU - Ounaies, Zoubeida
AU - Park, Cheol
AU - Harrison, Joycelyn
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - The focus of this paper is on our experimental observation that addition of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) to a non-polar polyimide induces an electromechanical behavior, where bending strains are observed in response to applied electric fields. Percolation studies are carried on the nanocomposites. The samples used for studying actuation are above the percolation threshold. The electromechanical mechanism is identified as electrostriction, and the coefficients of electrostriction are calculated under different conditions of SWNT loading and applied electric fields. The electrostriction is believed to be a result of induced polarization in these materials, which shows an increase with the SWNT content. Furthermore, the polarizability of SWNTs modifies the local electric field in the surrounding polymer matrix, resulting in a low actuation voltage.
AB - The focus of this paper is on our experimental observation that addition of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) to a non-polar polyimide induces an electromechanical behavior, where bending strains are observed in response to applied electric fields. Percolation studies are carried on the nanocomposites. The samples used for studying actuation are above the percolation threshold. The electromechanical mechanism is identified as electrostriction, and the coefficients of electrostriction are calculated under different conditions of SWNT loading and applied electric fields. The electrostriction is believed to be a result of induced polarization in these materials, which shows an increase with the SWNT content. Furthermore, the polarizability of SWNTs modifies the local electric field in the surrounding polymer matrix, resulting in a low actuation voltage.
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U2 - 10.1117/12.658673
DO - 10.1117/12.658673
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:33745844811
SN - 0819462217
SN - 9780819462213
T3 - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
BT - Smart Structures and Materials 2006
T2 - Smart Structures and Materials 2006: Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD)
Y2 - 27 February 2006 through 2 March 2006
ER -