Single-layer iron network microstructure magnetorheological elastomer for transparent soft actuator

• Published in: Chemical engineering journal (Lausanne, Switzerland : 1996) Switzerland : 1996), 2024-11, Vol.500, p.157167, Article 157167
• Main Authors: Shen, Zhiming, Hozumi, Masaki, Takimoto, Yuya, Fujihara, Takeshi, Cho, Hong-Baek, Choa, Yong-Ho, Suematsu, Hisayuki, Nakayama, Tadachika, Niihara, Koichi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Flexible gripping device; Magnetorheological elastomer; Network microstructure; Single-layer; Soft actuator; Transparent
• ISSN: 1385-8947
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2024.157167

[Display omitted] •Single-layer iron network microstructure was fabricated by electric field treatment.•Magnetorheological elastomer film with large out-of-plane deformation achieved.•Anisotropic structure enhances response to uniform and non-uniform magnetic field.•Optically transparent film enables real-time surface detection in gripping devices. The motion of a soft magnetic magnetorheological elastomer, a composite material consisting of soft magnetic fillers and an elastomeric matrix, is limited by the gradient of the applied magnetic field, making its application as an out-of-plane soft actuator difficult. In this study, an anisotropic soft magnetic magnetorheological elastomer-based transparent soft actuator with large out-of-plane deformation was fabricated using a very low concentration (1 vol%) of carbonyl iron particles as the soft magnetic fillers. An applied AC electric field treatment method was used to manipulate iron particles in silicone oil, assembling and depositing them onto a glass substrate to form a single-layer iron-network microstructure. A single-layer iron-network microstructure-based magnetorheological elastomer (SL-sMRE) film with initial self-buckling was fabricated by exploiting the swelling properties of the residual silicone oil and polydimethylsiloxane. The SL-sMRE film exhibited out-of-plane deformation with a very short reaction time (228 ms) under a uniform magnetic field. When stimulated by a non-uniform magnetic field, the SL-sMRE film deformed away from the permanent magnet, which was not possible with an isotropic film. An optically transparent SL-sMRE film was applied to a transparent flexible gripping device that could detect the surface of a gripped object in real time.