Enhanced electromechanical performance of a functionalized carbon nanofiber/ionic liquid/electro-active paper composite

Trilayer actuators consisting of functionalized carbon nanofibers, ionic liquid and regenerated cellulose were fabricated simply by adopting a bimorph configuration with a regenerated cellulose-supported internal ionic liquid electrolyte layer sandwiched by electrode layers with a view to getting quick and long-lived operation in air at low applied voltages. The electrode layers include functionalized carbon nanofibers, ionic liquid and regenerated cellulose. The results indicate that the bending displacement decreases with increasing frequency and increases with increasing voltages. This actuator has a power density requirement of about 0.14 mW cm−2, which is achievable under microwave power, yet within radiation safety limits. The actuators exhibit larger displacement at lower voltages compared to the other CNF based actuators. In addition, the actuators can also be actuated electro-magnetically and responded well at higher frequencies compared to the actuators under electric field. The advantages of these types of actuators are an easy process of fabrication and they can be actuated remotely. Because of the electro-magnetic nature of actuation, one can also be beneficial from a contactless actuation that is not available in other actuation mechanisms like the electrostatic one.