Carbon Nanotube based electro-mechabical transducers

Abstract

Bio-inspired adaptability is a possible option for more efficient future mobility. To provide an adap-tive system complex, heavy, and often inefficient mechanical kinematics are used nowadays. Multi-functional materials like piezo-composites are a more structural incorporated way to enable adap-tability. Beside this smart material carbon nanotubes offer excellent electrical, mechanical and thermal properties, which enable them to be the future lightweight structural material. Another sur-prising feature is their ability to generate strain while they are electrical charged within an electrical field and the presence of ions. This effect was successfully shown at macroscopic structures, con-taining billions of randomly oriented carbon nanotubes. Because of the nano-scale geometry of single walled carbon nanotubes, the effect could not be definitely clarified so that electrostatic ef-fects between the carbon nanotubes are equally named like quantum-mechanical effects as possi-ble reason. The poster presents research, referring to effect and properties of macroscopic struc-tures as well as approaches for analysing the effect at single carbon nanotubes.