ACTUATOR BASED ON CARBON NANOTUBES AND ACTUATING SYSTEM USING THE SAME

• US 20180100490A1
• Filed: 09/25/2017
• Published: 04/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University
• Inventors: MA, HE, WEI, YANG, LIU, KAI, JIANG, KAI-LI, FAN, SHOU-SHAN
• Granted Patent: US 10,641,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/22 Vanadium
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/031 Thermal actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0018 Structures acting upon the moving or flexible element for transforming energy into mechanical movement or vice versa, i.e. actuators, sensors, generators
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0024 Transducers for transforming thermal into mechanical energy or vice versa, e.g. thermal or bimorph actuators electric motors using thermal effects H02N10/00
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/005 Electro-chemical actuators; Actuators having a material for absorbing or desorbing gas, e.g. a metal hydride; Actuators using the difference in osmotic pressure between fluids; Actuators with elements stretchable when contacted with liquid rich in ions, with UV light, with a salt solution
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/012 Electro-chemical actuators
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/06 using expansion or contraction of bodies due to heating, cooling, moistening, drying or the like using thermal expansion of non-vaporising liquids F01K
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/0613 using layers of different materials joined together, e.g. bimetals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/10 Temperature sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/583 Carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 11/006 Motors
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/098 Forming organic materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an actuator based on carbon nanotubes and actuating system using the same. The actuator includes: a carbon nanotube layer and a vanadium dioxide layer stacked with each other. Because the drastic, reversible phase transition of VO₂, the actuator has giant deformation amplitude and fast response. An actuating system using the actuator is also provided.

Claims

1. An actuator comprising:

a carbon nanotube layer and a vanadium dioxide layer on the carbon nanotube layer.

2. The actuator of claim 1, further comprising a carbon nanotube film located in the vanadium dioxide layer and spaced apart from the carbon nanotube layer, wherein a thickness of the carbon nanotube film is less than 30 nanometers.

3. The actuator of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of carbon nanotube film located in the vanadium dioxide layer and spaced apart from each other, wherein a distance between every two adjacent carbon nanotube films is greater than 30 nanometers.

4. The actuator of claim 2, wherein a portion of the carbon nanotube film extends out of the vanadium dioxide layer to form an outside portion.

5. The actuator of claim 4, wherein the outside portion is in direct contact with the carbon nanotube layer.

6. The actuator of claim 1, further comprising a carbon nanotube array located in the vanadium dioxide layer, wherein the carbon nanotube array comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes substantially parallel to and spaced apart from each other, and the plurality of carbon nanotubes is perpendicular to the carbon nanotube layer.

7. The actuator of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes has one end in direct contact with the carbon nanotube layer.

8. The actuator of claim 1, further comprising a flexible protection layer located on at least one of the carbon nanotube layer and the vanadium dioxide layer.

9. The actuator of claim 8, wherein the flexible protection layer entirely envelopes the carbon nanotube layer and the vanadium dioxide layer.

10. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the vanadium dioxide layer is doped with an element selected from the group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, aluminum, phosphorus, niobium, thallium, and fluorine.

11. An actuating system comprising an actuator and an activating device, wherein the actuator comprises a carbon nanotube layer and a vanadium dioxide layer on the carbon nanotube layer.

12. The actuating system of claim 11, wherein the actuator further comprises a carbon nanotube film located in the vanadium dioxide layer and spaced apart from the carbon nanotube layer, and a thickness of the carbon nanotube film is less than 30 nanometers.

13. The actuating system of claim 12, wherein a portion of the carbon nanotube film extends out of the vanadium dioxide layer to form an outside portion.

14. The actuating system of claim 13, wherein the outside portion is in direct contact with the carbon nanotube layer.

15. The actuating system of claim 11, wherein the actuator further comprises a carbon nanotube array located in the vanadium dioxide layer, and the carbon nanotube array comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes substantially parallel to and spaced apart from each other, and the plurality of carbon nanotubes is perpendicular to the carbon nanotube layer.

16. The actuating system of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes has one end in direct contact with the carbon nanotube layer.

17. The actuating system of claim 11, wherein the actuator further comprises a flexible protection layer located on at least one of the carbon nanotube layer and the vanadium dioxide layer.

18. The actuating system of claim 17, wherein the flexible protection layer entirely envelopes the carbon nanotube layer and the vanadium dioxide layer.

19. The actuating system of claim 11, wherein the vanadium dioxide layer is doped with an element selected from the group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, aluminum, phosphorus, niobium, thallium, and fluorine.

20. The actuating system of claim 11, wherein the activating device is a laser device, a light source, or a power supply.