Organic composites could be made into artificial muscles. (Polymers/Ceramics).

Advanced Materials & Processes, January, 2003

A new class of all-organic composites that change shape under an electric voltage and may enable the manufacture of artificial muscles, smart skins, capacitors, and very small drug pumps, is under development at the Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa. According to researcher Dr.

Qiming Zhang, "Electroactive polymers have been around for a long time, but the energy input required for them to do enough work to be of value was very high. With this new composite, we have reduced the voltage to one tenth that previously needed." Multiple, very thin layers that are stacked and then rolled and flattened could simulate muscles. The composites are fabricated from an organic filler possessing very high dielectric constant that is dispersed in an...