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High-Performance 4D Printed ABS/Conductive TPU Electrothermal Actuator Devices with SWCNT Segregated Structures: A
Miron Krassas1,2, Emmanouil Porfyrakis1,2, Fivos Simopoulos1,2
1Mechanical Engineering Department, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Estavromenos, Heraklion, Crete 71004, Greece.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|July 11, 2025
Summary
This study introduces a novel 3D-printed soft electrothermal actuator (ETA) using acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and conductive thermoplastic polyurethane (cTPU) with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The developed 4D printed ETA demonstrates significantly reduced electrical resistance and reliable actuation for soft robotics applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Robotics
- Additive Manufacturing
Background:
- Soft electrothermal actuators (ETAs) are crucial for soft robotics.
- Current fabrication methods for ETAs can be complex and limit performance.
- There is a need for advanced materials and printing techniques to enhance ETA capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a high-performance U-shaped bimetallic polymer-based soft electrothermal actuator (ETA) using fused filament fabrication (FFF) three-dimensional printing (3DP).
- To investigate the integration of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) into a conductive thermoplastic polyurethane (cTPU) layer for improved electrical properties.
- To characterize the actuation performance, force generation, and electrothermal heating of the 4D printed ETAs.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of ETA devices using a dual-head multimaterial 3D printer with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)/cTPU bilayer architecture.
- Creation of a gyroid microporous structure in the cTPU layer for SWCNT ink infiltration via direct ink writing (DIW).
- Characterization using SEM, Raman spectroscopy, TGA, electrical resistance measurements, real-time tip displacement tracking, FEA, digital microbalance, and IR thermography.
Main Results:
- Achieved significantly lower internal resistance (ca. 9 kΩ to ~20 Ω) in the ABS/cTPU/SWCNT ETA compared to cTPU only.
- Demonstrated reliable actuation performance with varying bias voltages and ON-OFF cycles.
- Quantified generated force and validated electrothermal Joule-heating effect through IR thermography.
- Successfully integrated three ETAs into a functional three-finger soft gripper demonstrator.
Conclusions:
- The 4D printed ETAs exhibit enhanced performance due to the integrated SWCNT conductive network.
- The modular design of the ETAs allows for versatile applications in soft robotics.
- The fast and responsive soft gripper prototype showcases the potential of this technology for advanced robotic systems.
