Large stroke radially oriented MXene composite fiber tensile artificial muscles

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Textile Engineering

Background:

• Traditional artificial muscles rely on high fiber twist for actuation.
• This often limits their performance and applicability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the actuation capabilities of non-twisted MXene fibers.
• To develop high-performance artificial muscles using MXene nanosheets.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of MXene fiber artificial muscles (MFAMs) by spinning MXene nanosheets in cellulose solution.
• Characterization of MFAMs' mechanical and actuation properties.
• Testing reversible muscle contraction under thermal stimuli.

Main Results:

• Achieved highly reversible muscle contraction of 21.0% upon heating from 25°C to 125°C.
• MFAMs exhibit high modulus in both radial and axial directions.
• Actuation is driven by reversible hydrogen bond orientation changes.

Conclusions:

• Non-twisted MXene fibers offer a promising alternative for artificial muscle development.
• MFAMs demonstrate fast, stable actuation, suitable for smart textiles and robotics.
• This research opens new avenues for advanced material applications.