EAGER: Direct Ink Writing of Molecularly Patterned Polyionic Actuators

EAGER：分子图案化聚离子致动器的直接墨水书写

• 批准号: 2232659
• 负责人: M Ravi Shankar
• 金额: $ 27.98万
• 依托单位: University of Pittsburgh
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2024-01-01 至 2025-12-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2232659&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EAGER; Direct; Ink; Writing; Molecularly

This EArly-concept Grant for Exploratory Research (EAGER) award supports research which will demonstrate 3D printing of polymeric materials that transport charges through their bulk, while simultaneously functioning as artificial muscles, which convert thermal energy into mechanical work. A key breakthrough envisioned by this research is the ability to align ionic species within a polymer network, where their organization can be dictated during the printing process but remain susceptible to reconfiguration using stimuli thereafter. Accomplishing this can enable the manufacturing of multifunctional components that could impact an array of technological sectors. Printable materials with mutable mechanical, electronic, and ionic properties may enable novel designs of structures like a) tunable electrolytes for freeform batteries, b) sensory materials for soft robots that can self-report their actuation state, and c) responsive biomaterials that can actively modulate their interaction with microbial/biological agents. To achieve this goal, fundamental questions on how process parameters affect the configuration of charged species within a polymer network remain to be answered. This research will address these issues using material synthesis, optimization of manufacturing processes, characterization techniques, and mechanical design. This research will explore the structure-property-performance mappings that underpin reversible actuation in 3D-printed, ionic liquid crystalline elastomers (LCE). The effect of extrusion parameters applied during direct ink writing (DIW) of LCE composed of mesogenic acrylates and ionic chain extenders will be examined. Efforts will focus on measuring the influence of the shear stresses imposed during the printing process on the homogeneity of the molecular alignment, characterizing the role of the molecular structure on the resulting properties, and harnessing these characterizations in freeform artificial muscles that respond to stimuli. The effect of the ionic groups in the backbone of the LCE on the stability of the molecularly ordered state will be explored as a function of the composition, molecular structure, and the processing history. Ionic monomers compatible with canonical liquid crystalline monomers will be synthesized to create 3D printable inks. The composition of the inks and the DIW printing parameters will be studied to measure the endowment of the liquid crystalline order, phase stability and structure. The resulting samples will be characterized for their actuation in response to stimuli, their ability to sense deformation/strain, and their integration into freeform soft robotic architectures.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

这项探索性研究的早期概念赠款（急切）支持研究，该研究将证明3D打印聚合物材料，这些材料通过其大量运输充电，同时充当人造肌肉，这些肌肉将热能转化为机械工作。这项研究所设想的一个关键突破是能够在聚合物网络中对齐离子物种，在该网络中可以在印刷过程中决定其组织，但此后仍容易使用刺激进行重新配置。实现这一目标可以使可能影响一系列技术领域的多功能组件制造。具有可突变机械，电子和离子特性的可打印材料可以实现结构的新型设计，例如a）可调电池的可调电解质，b）可以自我报告其致动状态的软机器人的感官材料，c）响应式生物材料，可以主动调节其与微生物/生物学剂的相互作用。为了实现这一目标，关于过程参数如何影响聚合物网络中带电物种的配置的基本问题仍有待回答。这项研究将使用材料合成，制造过程的优化，特征技术和机械设计来解决这些问题。 这项研究将探索在3D打印的离子液晶弹性体（LCE）中基于可逆致动的结构质能绩效映射。将检查由中源性丙烯酸酯和离子链扩展器组成的LCE直接墨水写作（DIW）应用的挤压参数的影响。努力将着重于测量印刷过程中施加的剪切应力对分子比对均匀性的影响，以表征分子结构对所得性能的作用，并在自由形式的人造肌肉中利用这些特征，从而响应刺激。离子基在LCE主链中的影响将探讨分子序状态的稳定性，这是组成，分子结构和加工史的函数。与规范液晶单体兼容的离子单体将合成以产生3D可打印油墨。将研究墨水和DIW打印参数的组成，以测量液体晶体顺序，相位稳定性和结构的赋。最终的样本将以响应刺激，感知变形/应变的能力以及将其整合到自由形式的软机器人体系结构中的作用来表征。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛影响的审查标准来通过评估来获得支持的。