Development and application of conducting shape memory polyurethane actuators

This paper presents the development and application of conducting shape memory polyurethane (CSMPU) actuators. While conventional shape memory polyurethanes were activated by an external heat source, the conducting shape memory polyurethanes, introduced in 2004, are activated by electric power. CSMPU actuators were manufactured by adding carbon nano-tubes to conventional shape memory polyurethane. The main problem of the previous CSMPU was poor dispersion of carbon nano-tubes. In this paper, we tried to solve the dispersion problem, and after a lot of elaborate work CSMPU actuators with better electrical characteristics were fabricated with in situ polymerization. Then the actuation performance of the CSMPU actuators was also measured and assessed. Finally, the possibility of applications was examined through the installation of a CSMPU actuator in a micro air vehicle.