CAREER: Carbon Nanotube based Photo-Mechanical Actuators

本研究的目的是开发单壁碳纳米管光机械致动器，用于开发基于纳米管的传感器和致动器。单壁碳纳米管最近被证明是一种新型的驱动材料，它只需要很小的电压就可以驱动。在基于纳米管的电致动器领域已经做了很多工作，而光驱动纳米管致动器领域充其量只是刚刚起步。本研究的方法是将纳米管与电活性聚合物等材料系统相结合，将入射到纳米管片上的光能转化为驱动聚合物，并开发波长选择性光致动器。最后。知识价值：这项研究的影响是在传感器和执行器领域。目前用于执行器的压电和铁电材料需要产生数百伏的电子器件来执行。光子致动器重量轻，可远程致动，可用于行星际空间任务。此外，基于纳米管的微光机械系统的开发可用于细胞中生物标志物的无标记遗传分析，可用于监测具有超高灵敏度的自身免疫性疾病。更广泛的影响：该提案的成功将证明该技术在细胞中无标记遗传分析的微光机械系统中的应用。这项研究为本科生和研究生提供了纳米技术培训的机会。通过这项研究，工业伙伴关系可以潜在地用于该技术的商业化，并可以为社会和经济带来更大的利益。

The objective of this research is the development of single wall carbon nanotube photo-mechanical actuators for the development of nanotube based sensors and actuators. Single wall carbon nanotubes have been recently demonstrated as a new class of actuator materials that require only small voltages for actuation. While much work has gone into the area of nanotube based electrical actuators, the field of optically driven nanotube actuators is at best nascent. The approach of this research is the fabrication and combination of nanotubes with material systems such as electro-active polymers to transduce the light energy that is incident on the nanotube sheet to actuate the polymer and develop wavelength selective photo-actuators. Finally.Intellectual merit: The impact of this research is in the area of sensors and actuators. Currently piezoelectric and ferroelectric materials used for actuators require electronics that have to generate hundreds of volts for actuation. The photonic actuators are light- weight and can actuate remotely that can be utilized in interplanetary space missions. Further, the development of nanotube based micro-opto-mechanical systems can be utilized for label free genetic analysis of biomarkers in cells that can be used for monitoring autoimmune diseases with high ultra-high sensitivityBroader impact: The success of this proposal will demonstrate the applications of this technology for micro-opto-mechanical systems for label free genetic analysis in cells. The research brings in opportunities for undergraduate and graduate student training in nanotechnology. Industrial partnerships through this research can potentially be used for commercialization of this technology and can bring greater benefit to the society and economy.