Development of driving artificial artery with the use of intelligent composite material

在这项研究项目中，试图开发一种智能材料，使用微执行器作为移动人造肌肉的驱动力。执行器的候选材料可以列出，例如形状记忆合金、压电弹性体、离子交换树脂或液晶。然而，与前两者相比，后两者只提供了很小的力量。因此，形状记忆合金和压电弹性材料被认为是目前智能复合材料中的致动器，在一般的致动器材料中，运动的自由度是1。由于目前的工作需要高自由度，所以设计了任意取向和分布体积分数的微纤维型致动器。此外，为了克服传统驱动器产生的应变很小的问题，引入了单晶片或双晶片弹簧的概念来产生较大的应变。针对复杂复合材料的分析过程，基于自洽型等效夹杂理论，建立了复合材料的本构模型(SCC-LRM)。在模型中，微双晶片弹簧代替纤维作为夹杂物。分析表明，成功地预测了人工肌肉在高自由度下的任意运动。将该分析系统应用于一个简单形状的肌肉，显示了当向压电弹簧提供电能时非常大的摆动运动。在学术团体和期刊上介绍并发表了一些结果和程序以及相关的发展情况。

In this research project, a development of an intelligent material that uses micro actuators as providing the driving force to move the artificial muscle was attempted. Candidate materials for the actuator can list, e.g. shape memory alloy, piezo elastics, ionic exchange resin, or liquid crystal. However, the latter two only provide small force compared to the former two. Thus, shape memory alloy and piezo elastic material were considered to take the role of the actuator in the present intelligent composite material.In generic actuator materials, the degree of freedom for movement is one. Since a high degree of freedom is required in the present effort, the micro fiber type actuator was devised in arbitrary orientations and in distributed volume fraction. Also, to overcome the little performance of the generated strain for the conventional actuators, a concept of uni-morph or bimorph spring was employed to generate a large strain as a result. These device concept made development of the present intelligent material with a large strain possible.For the analysis procedure for the complicated composite material, a constitutive model(SCC-LRM) of the composite is developed based on the self-consistent type equivalent inclusion theory. The micro bimorph springs substitute the fibers as inclusions in the model. Performed analysis showed a successful prediction of arbitrary movement of the artificial muscle in high degrees of freedom. An application of the analysis system to a muscle of a simple shape showed the demonstration of very large swing motions when electrical energy is supplied to the piezo springs. Some of the results and procedures, and relevant developments were presented and published in academic societies and journals.