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Design of bi-state shape memory material composite soft actuator
Rajagopalan, Ramprasad
Rajagopalan, Ramprasad
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2020
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Abstract
Shape memory materials have been widely used as programmable soft matter for developing multifunctional hybrid actuators. Several challenges of fabrication and effective modeling of these soft actuating systems can be addressed by implementing novel 3D printing techniques and simulations to aid the designer. In this study, the temperature dependent recovery of an embedded U-shape shape memory alloy (SMA) and shape fixity of the 3D printed shape memory polymer (SMP) matrix is exploited to create a bi-state shape memory composite (SMC) soft actuator. Electrical heating methods is provided for SMA to achieve the bi-state condition by undergoing phase transformation to U-shape in the rubbery phase and a flat shape in the glassy phase of the SMP. A COMSOL Multiphysics model is proposed to predict the deformation and recovery of the SMC by leveraging the in-built SMA constitutive relations and user-defined material subroutine for SMP. The bi-state actuation model is validated by capturing the mid-point displacement of 80mm length x 10mm width x 2mm thick 3D printed SMC. The viability of the SMC as a periodic actuator in terms of shape recovery is addressed with the help of COMSOL simulation and validated through experiment. Results from the simulation shows that the proposed COMSOL model is in good agreement with the experiment. In addition, the effect of varying the volume ratio of SMA wire in SMC on maximum and recovered deflection is also obtained. A model workflow in COMSOL Multiphysics to devise SMC actuators is presented here to facilitate future designs in soft robotics and wearable technology applications.
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