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Thermo-Mechanical Modeling And The Application Of Coiled Polymer Actuators In Soft Robotics And Biomimetics, Robert Hunt

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Coiled polymer actuators (CPA) are a recently discovered smart material. Due to their large tensile stoke and power densities they are often used as actuators or artificial muscles. CPA’s are fabricated from a polymer fiber, typically nylon, mechanically twisted into a coil or coiled around a mandrel and annealed. When heated over the glass transition temperature they can contract, expand or exhibit torsional actuation, depending on the fabrication method and end conditions.

The fabrication and application of CPA is well documented and has made many innovations in the fields of smart materials, soft robotics and the likes. However, there is …