Theoretical Analysis of Carbon Nanotube Actuators

탄소나노튜브 작동기의 이론적 해석

Carbon nanotube actuator, working under physical conditions (in aqueous solution) and converting electrical energy into mechanical energy directly, can be a good substitute for artificial muscle. The carbon nanotube actuator simulated in this paper is an isotropic cantilever type with an adhesive tape which is sandwiched between two single-walled carbon nanotubes. For predicting the static and dynamic characteristic parameters, the analytical model for a 3 layer bimorph carbon nanotube actuator is developed by using Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. The governing equation and boundary conditions are derived from energy principles. The induced displacements of the theoretical model are presented in order to investigate the performance of the carbon nanotube actuator with different control voltages. The developed model presents invaluable means for designing and predicting the performance of carbon nanotube actuator that can be used in artificial muscle applications.