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PROGRAMMABLE SHAPE MORPHING SOFT MAGNETIC POLYMERS

PROGRAMMABLE SHAPE MORPHING SOFT MAGNETIC POLYMERS

Date5th Oct 2023

Time03:00 PM

Venue Online meeting link: https://meet.google.com/erv-fkrt-swo

PAST EVENT

Details

Magnetically active soft actuators are gaining popularity due to their fast response, remote controllability, wide field of compatibility, and large-scale penetration range in various conditions. Magnetic soft actuators exhibit a reversible change in their shape and size when kept under the influence of the controlling magnetic field. The change in their shape and size in the magnetic field is significantly large and fast in comparison to the response of actuators under other stimuli. These magnetic soft actuators comprise a soft polymer matrix impregnated with magnetic particles. However, the shape programming of the soft magnetic actuators is a complex task, as it requires a moulding process and limits the shape-morphing capability. The current Research focuses on developing an efficient, economical, and mould-less method of shape programming of magnetically active soft materials. The arrangement of magnetic particles in soft magnetic soft materials is solely responsible for the shape generation upon stimulation. The shape programming using the moulding process is complex and inefficient as it is time-consuming, and the requirement of the mould of a desired shape limits the programming for complex shapes. So, to overcome such issues, it is necessary to program the material for a shape on the curing bed to eliminate the need for a mould. The current study discusses a method of shape programming technique by mimicking the pattern configuration of particles in mould-programmed actuators. At first, actuators with some basic shapes are prepared using the mould programming technique and examined under the microscope to observe the alignment configuration of the particles in different shapes. Observations of particle arrangement in different shapes helped build an understanding of the role of particle arrangement configuration in shape generation. The arrangement pattern of particles from different shapes is then mimicked in the actuator using magnetic units with known alignment direction of particles to generate a similar shape and motion. An additive manufacturing technique with a UMF (uniform magnetic field) setup and a U.V. curing facility is developed to program different shapes in the magnetic material. The programmed shapes are characterized for different shape generation capabilities, force and motion capacity, magnetic particles' effect on material properties, etc.

Speakers

Mr. Dharmi Chand (AM19D014)

Department of Applied Mechanics & Biomedical Engineering