Force through transpiration: biomimetic nanomechanical actuation

通过蒸腾产生的力：仿生纳米机械致动器这项工作将开发一种新型的仿生致动器，它利用蒸发水中的能量在纳米/微米级材料上产生分布力。受植物中吸湿性孢子传播机制的启发，所提出的机制将使普通材料能够以分布式和可编程的方式产生力。具体地说，我们将：1)设计、制造和测试一系列发汗致动器，特征尺寸从10-1000 nm不等；2)开发水与弹性体之间亚微米级相互作用的预测模型；3)使用该模型设计和制造具有嵌入式致动器的材料，这些材料通过‘加水’自驱动和自组装成稳定的结构。作为最后一项任务的一部分，蒸发过程中产生的瞬时表面张力将被用来在不同的稳定形状之间移动致动材料。还将展示能够从水中清除能量以产生MN/mm2力密度的合成、分布式纳米致动。

Force through transpiration:biomimetic nanomechanical actuationThis work will develop a new class of bio-mimetic actuators which harness the energy in evaporating water to generate distributed forces across nano / microscale materials. Inspired by hygroscopic spore dispersal mechanisms in plants, the proposed mechanism would enable the infusion of common materials with distributed and programmable force generation. Specifically, we will: 1) design, fabricate and test a family of transpiration actuators with feature sizes ranging from 10-1000 nm, 2) develop a predictive model for the sub-micron scale interactions between water and elastomer, 3) employ the model to design and fabricate materials with embedded actuation which self-actuate and self-assemble into stable configurations by 'adding water'. As part of this last task, transient surface tension forces generated during evaporation will be used to shift the actuated materials between different stable shapes. Synthetic, distributed nano-actuation capable of scavenging energy from water to generate mN/mm2 force densities will also be demonstrated.