Artificial muscle heals itself

Scientists in California have created a kind of artificial muscle capable of healing and producing electricity. A part of research is being used in Japan to produce energy from ocean waves, which can be used to produce walking robots, develop prosthetics or even use it to charge iPods.

According to Qibing Pei, a scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles and author of the work, "We have created a kind of artificial muscle, when charging can expand 200%. Its movement and energy are very similar to human. '
Artificial muscle has been around for many years but it limits itself. Some artificial muscles are so large that they tear, produce irregular muscle thickness and random molecules lead to muscle failure.

The researchers used flexible carbon nanotubes as electrodes instead of other types of membranes, often from metal, that were damaged after repeated use. If a piece of carbon nanotubes fails, the area around it will cure itself by becoming non-conductive and preventing the damaged part from spreading to other areas.

Pei said: 'During long-term testing with new equipment, this material goes through some trouble but still works well.' The 'trouble' here, according to Pei, is that when they use pins to artificial muscles, it continues to work, while other types of artificial muscles may have stopped. The type of self-sustaining muscle is also energy efficient: 'Consume only about 70% of the energy you load it.'

When this material shrinks after it has expanded, the arrangement of carbon nanotubes produces a small retractable current that is energized for another expansion or stored in the battery.

Japanese scientists have been charging from ocean waves from this idea. Some other scientists calculate that artificial muscles can be used to capture wind energy."The way scientists arrange carbon nanotubes is actually quite creative ," said Kwang Kim, a materials scientist at Reno University . Some people want to use this way to charge the battery. '

Model of human body.Scientists have developed an artificial muscle made of carbon nanotubes that can heal itself and even generate electricity.(Photo: Discovery)

The study is published in the January issue of Advanced Materials .