Electromechanical Characterization and Modelling of Poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene)-Based Soft Actuators: Films and Aligned Electrospun Nanofiber Mats

Wierenga, Leon (2021) Electromechanical Characterization and Modelling of Poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene)-Based Soft Actuators: Films and Aligned Electrospun Nanofiber Mats. Master's Thesis / Essay, Biomedical Engineering.

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Abstract

Electroactive Polymers have shown to be a very good candidate for the design of a linear soft actuator with a high force-to-weight ratio and a stiffening behaviour. In this paper the electrostrictive effect of the terpolymer poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylenechlorotrifluoroethylene) in the form of film and aligned electrospun nanofiber mat is analyzed. In this article, the fabrication process and an experimental electromechanical characterization method is reviewed and two separate finite element analysis models are developed for analysing the bending behaviour of single layer electroactive polymers. One model will be focussing more on the electrostrictive coefficient Q-matrix in the Electrostriction Multiphysics of the commercial modelling software COMSOL Multiphysics®, while the other model will be focussing on adapting the constitutive relations for the electrostrictive materials to model the coupled behaviours explicitly in the aforementioned modelling software. The objective of this study is to validate both models to the experimental results and investigate if the models are suitable for the modelling of aligned electrospun nanofiber mats. Through quantitative comparisons, the model simulations results show good agreement with the experimental results. Furthermore, the model adapting the constitutive relations shows a good prospect for further research of aligned electrospun nanofiber integrated mats.

Item Type:	Thesis (Master's Thesis / Essay)
Supervisor name:	Carloni, R.
Degree programme:	Biomedical Engineering
Thesis type:	Master's Thesis / Essay
Language:	English
Date Deposited:	02 Aug 2021 09:08
Last Modified:	15 Nov 2023 13:12
URI:	https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/25544

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