A strong and fast millimeter-sized soft pneumatic actuator based on alternative pole water electrolysis

A new soft pneumatic microactuator based on alternative pole water electrolysis has recently been proposed. In these actuators, a water-based electrolyte is electrolyzed under an alternative current, generating hydrogen/oxygen nanobubbles/microbubbles. These bubbles cause the expansion of the electrolyte, resulting in the displacement of the actuator membrane. These actuators stand out for their lightweight design, cost-effectiveness, high performance, and versatility for various applications. In this paper, a strong and fast millimeter-sized actuator based on alternative pole water electrolysis is proposed. The proposed actuator, electronic driver circuits, and measurement systems is implemented, and some experiments to investigate the actuator’s performance under different conditions, including input variables such as voltage, time, temperature, and mass load are conducted. Our experimental results and comparisons with other actuators demonstrate that the proposed actuator exhibits favorable properties in terms of response time, output mechanical force, reliability, scalability, and simplicity of manufacturing. The versatility of this actuator makes it suitable for a wide range of soft robotics applications, including limb movement and manipulation. Additionally, it has potential medical applications such as microrobotics for navigation in narrow body channels for diagnosis, sampling, drug delivery, and surgery.

Graphical abstract