Multi-field Responsive Origami-inspired Active Materials
Open Access
- Author:
- Meyer, Julia Marie
- Area of Honors:
- Mechanical Engineering
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Zoubeida Ounaies, Thesis Supervisor
Dr. Hosam Kadry Fathy, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- origami engineering
barium ferrite
P(VDF-TrFE CTFE)
magnetomechanical
electromechanical
active materials
smart materials - Abstract:
- Origami engineering is a growing field of study with a goal of designing smart self-actuating materials and structures that respond to multiple external physical stimuli—namely, applied electric, magnetic, and thermal fields. Current self-actuating designs typically contain discrete actuators that add cost and weight to structures, and they are usually selectively responsive to one external field, whether electrical, magnetic or other. Therefore, there is a need for lightweight, cost-effective smart materials that can respond to two or more applied external fields. The purpose of this thesis is to develop a processing technique for an electro- and magneto-active smart material, and to fully characterize this new material. Processing includes preparing the solution, dispersing magnetic particles, casting the solution, and poling of the magnetic particles. Characterization focuses on morphology, electric response, and magnetic response. To accomplish this goal, P(VDF-TrFE CTFE) polymer, an electrostrictive material, is used as the matrix for barium ferrite particle fillers, which exhibit hard magnetic characteristics. A processing method was developed that led to good dispersion of the particles in the polymer. The resulting composite was magnetically poled and showed a strong response to an external magnetic field. Electric characterization of the composite was completed, and although the barium ferrite containing films show lower electromechanical strain than the unmodified terpolymer, they are also designed to exhibit magnetomechanical strain, hence their advantage over the terpolymer. A composite of this nature would enable multifield actuation and will advance applications where active folding and unfolding is needed such as in aerospace and medical applications. Suggestions for future work were made to also exploit electromechanical response in addition to magneto-active behavior.