Robotic applications composites

Najem J, Sarles S, Akle B, Leo D (2012) Biomimetic jellyfish-inspired underwater vehicle actuated by ionic polymer metal composite actuators. Smart Mater Struct 21 094026 Nakabo Y, Mukai T, Asaka K (2007) Biomimetic soft robots using IPMC. In Kim K, Tadokoro S (eds) Electroactive polymers for robotics applications. Springer, London, pp 165-198... 

Piezoelectric materials are pressure-sensitive materials. When subject to pressure (stress) they become polarized and produce an electric field. The prefix piezo- comes from the Greek word pressure. The reverse is true when these materials are subject to an electric field the result is a mechanical strain and displacement. These materials have many industrial applications as transducers, accelerometers, and sensors, and have found use in robotic and biomedical applications. Composites of these materials are also known as smart materials and are used in adaptive structures. 

A miniaturized MB spectrometer MIMOS II was developed for the robotic exploration of Mars, where it provided fundamental information about mineralogical composition and alteration processes, helped to classify rocks and soils, aided geologic mapping, was instrumental in assessing habitability of past and present environments, and identified potential construction resources for future human explorers. The applicability of the instrument as a process monitor for oxygen production and prospecting tool for lunar ISRU has been demonstrated. The characterization of air pollution sources and the study of mixed-valence materials as a function of depth in soil are examples of terrestrial in situ applications. MIMOS lla with additional XRF capability will open up new applications. 

Although BP and xerogel-based platforms exhibit significant promise in their respective areas, there are a plethora of materials, precursors, and additives to choose from. How does one decide on the best formulation for a specific need/purpose In cases where a particular formulation or composition does not yield a material or device with adequate performance parameters, how does one get to an optimum material within a reasonable time frame Our answer to these questions lies in the use of an automated robotic system to produce and screen large libraries of materials in a rapid manner, thus identifying optimal materials for a particular application. 

Sol-gel chemistry (Chapter 5) is a preparation method, which can easily be adapted to synthesis robots. The application of this method to high-throughput catalysis was first described by the group of Maier, who prepared amorphous microporous mixed-metal oxides in small cavities of a carrier slate plate [95, 96]. Libraries of doped Ti02, Sn02, and WO3 have been prepared in larger amounts in sets of HPLC flasks [97]. The robot-assisted sol-gel preparation has been applied to mixed-metal oxide catalysts of various composition and the catalysts have been tested for several reactions in gas phases as well as in liquid phase (see Table 11.3). 

The ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC, which is also known as ICPF in the robotics field) [10, 11] is one of the electroactive polymers that have shown potential for practical applications. The IPMC is an chemically plated electroactive polymer (EAP) material that bends when subjected to a voltage across its thickness (Figure 8.1). A Nafion-gold composite type IPMC [12], which contained the sodium ion, has a relatively good... 

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