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Experimental Characterization of Unimorph Shape Memory Polymer Actuators Incorporating Transverse Curvature in the Substrate

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Abstract

Shape memory polymers (SMP) have the potential to be utilized as a lightweight, solid state actuator in modern reconfigurable structures including as a deployment system for satellite solar panels or morphing aircraft wings. This paper is primarily concerned with the use of Veriflex-S® shape memory polymer and bi-directional carbon-fiber-reinforced-polymer (CFRP) in a flexural unimorph actuator configuration. One of the major deficiencies of SMP unimorphs is the permanent set (unrecovered shape) after a single or multiple temperature cycle(s). The novel concept of incorporating transverse curvature in the CFRP substrate, similar to that of an extendable tape measurer, is proposed to improve the shape recovery by increasing the bending stiffness of the unimorph actuator to compensate for the lack of recovery of the SMP. A set of experiments was designed to investigate the influence of transverse curvature, the relative widths of SMP and CFRP substrates, and shape memory polymer thickness on actuator recoverability after multiple thermo-mechanical cycles. The performance of SMP unimorph actuators with varying degrees of transverse curvature were evaluated versus that of traditional SMP unimorphs incorporating a flat substrate. Digital image correlation was implemented to quantify the out-of-plane deflection of the unimorph composite actuators (UCAs) during the actuation cycle. Experimental results indicate that an actuator with transverse curvature significantly reduces the residual deformation by at least two orders of magnitude which could be further tailored to enhance the performance of shape memory polymers in reconfigurable arrangements.

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Abbreviations

ρ:

Substrate Radius of Curvature

c:

Polymer Width

CF:

Carbon Fiber

CFRP:

Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer

CTE:

Coefficient of Thermal Expansion

CV:

Coefficient of Variation

DIC:

Digital Image Correlation

L:

Actuator Length

MAV:

Micro Air Vehicle

s:

Substrate Width

SMP:

Shape Memory Polymer

t:

Polymer Thickness

Tg :

Glass Transition Temperature

UCA:

Unimorph Composite Actuator

u,v,w:

Lengthwise, Widthwise, and Vertical Displacements

x,y,z:

Lengthwise, Widthwise, and Vertical Coordinates

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  1. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA

    J. T. Cantrell & P. G. Ifju

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Cantrell, J.T., Ifju, P.G. Experimental Characterization of Unimorph Shape Memory Polymer Actuators Incorporating Transverse Curvature in the Substrate. Exp Mech 55, 1395–1409 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-015-0035-z

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