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Fabrication of Soft Pneumatic Network Actuators with Oblique Chambers
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Self-healing soft pneumatic robots.

Seppe Terryn1,2, Joost Brancart2, Dirk Lefeber1

  • 1Robotics and Multibody Mechanics (R&MM), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), and Flanders Make, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.

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|November 7, 2020
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Soft robots made from self-healing elastomers can repair cuts and perforations. This research demonstrates self-healing soft pneumatic actuators that recover full performance after damage.

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Area of Science:

  • Robotics
  • Materials Science
  • Polymer Chemistry

Background:

  • Soft robots offer advantages in dynamic environments and human interaction due to their compliance.
  • Current soft robots are vulnerable to damage from sharp objects, limiting their operational lifespan.
  • Self-healing materials offer a solution to enhance the durability of soft robotic systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and demonstrate soft pneumatic actuators constructed entirely from self-healing elastomers.
  • To investigate the ability of these actuators to autonomously repair macroscopic damage.
  • To assess the mechanical performance recovery after self-healing.

Main Methods:

  • Diels-Alder polymers, a type of thermoreversible covalent network, were synthesized and utilized.
  • Three soft pneumatic actuator prototypes (gripper, hand, artificial muscles) were designed using finite element modeling.
  • Prototypes were mechanically characterized, subjected to damage, and healed using mild heat treatment.

Main Results:

  • The self-healing elastomers successfully healed both microscopic and macroscopic damage in the actuators.
  • Mild heat treatment fully repaired realistic damage, with no weak spots remaining at the healed site.
  • Actuators recovered nearly complete performance after the self-healing process, demonstrating material resilience.

Conclusions:

  • Soft robots constructed from self-healing Diels-Alder polymers can effectively repair damage, enhancing their durability.
  • The developed self-healing soft pneumatic actuators exhibit robust performance recovery after damage.
  • This approach offers a sustainable and reliable solution for soft robotics operating in challenging environments.