Elastic/Rubber Electric Contract & Relax - Find Answers

  • Thread starter brettleon123
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In summary: ICSTM '02In summary, the conversation discussed the search for a type of elastic or rubber material that contracts when subjected to electricity and relaxes when released. The concept is similar to artificial muscles used in robot construction. There is currently research being done on organic piezoelectric materials that may be useful for this purpose, but finding a flexible material is still an open issue. One suggestion was to use pvdf for small actuation, and there are also materials such as electroactive elastomers and electroelastomers that may be of interest. Some relevant articles and studies were mentioned for further reading.
  • #1
brettleon123
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I am searching for an type of elastic/rubber that once subjected to electricity contracts and then once released from electricity it relaxs again. is there such thing and if so what. if not is there anything slightly alternative.
 
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  • #2
This reminds me of artificial muscles that are used by people experimenting with robot contruction.

Or is that something completely different that what you are after?

Torquil
 
  • #3
100% spot on is there anything out there?
Brett
 
  • #4
Mechanical reaction under electric stimulus is termed piezoelectricity. Most of the available piezoelectric materials are ceramic in nature, and as such, brittle. Considerable research is being done on organic piezoelectric materials, which might be usefull for your case. For the moment, getting a flexible piezoelectric material is an open issue, as you can see here:
http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/01/28/scientist-develop-flexible-energy-harvesting-rubber-sheets/
My advice without further details would be using pvdf ( softer, and somehow "printable" in rubber) for small actuation. Here's some link found by searching for flexible piezoelectric pvdf that might match your interest
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet?Filename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/0870210206.html
 
  • #5
I think rubber contracts slightly when heated
 
  • #6
There's also materials known as electroactive elastomers, electroelastomers, etc:

Electroelastomer rolls and their application for biomimetic walking robots, Qibing Pei, Ron Pelrine, Scott Stanford, Roy Kornbluh and Marcus Rosenthal

Synthetic Metals
Volumes 135-136, 4 April 2003, Pages 129-131
Proceedings of the International Conference on Science and Technology of Synthetic Metals
 

1. What is elastic/rubber electric contract and relax?

Elastic/rubber electric contract and relax is a process in which a material, typically rubber or elastic, is able to change its shape or size in response to an electric current. This is due to the piezoelectric effect, where the material produces an electric charge when mechanically stressed.

2. How does elastic/rubber electric contract and relax work?

The process of elastic/rubber electric contract and relax involves applying an electric current to a material, causing it to change shape or size. This is made possible by the arrangement of molecules within the material, which become polarized and generate an electric charge when the material is stretched or compressed.

3. What are the applications of elastic/rubber electric contract and relax?

Elastic/rubber electric contract and relax has a variety of applications in industries such as robotics, healthcare, and energy harvesting. It can be used to create artificial muscles, sensors, and energy harvesting devices that can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy.

4. What are the advantages of using elastic/rubber electric contract and relax?

One of the main advantages of elastic/rubber electric contract and relax is its ability to produce large amounts of mechanical energy in a compact and lightweight form. It is also highly efficient, with the ability to convert up to 80% of mechanical energy into electrical energy. Additionally, it is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly technology.

5. Are there any limitations to elastic/rubber electric contract and relax?

While elastic/rubber electric contract and relax has many benefits, it also has some limitations. The materials used in this process can degrade over time due to repeated stretching and contracting, which can affect their performance. There are also challenges in creating materials that can produce a strong enough electric charge to power larger devices or machinery.

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