Fuel-Powered Artificial Muscles

2006 Energy conversion V 1650 Fuel-Powered Artificial Muscles. — Two types of artificial muscles that convert the energy of high-energy-density fuels (hydrogen, methanol, formic acid) to me26- 191 chemical chanical energy are demonstrated. The first type uses a catalyst-containing carbon nanotube electrode that simultaneously functions as a muscle, a fuel-cell electrode, and a supercapacitor electrode. The second type of artificial muscle functions as a "continously shorted fuel cell" that converts chemical energy in a fuel to thermal energy that produces actuation. This kind of artificial muscle based on a NiTi shape-memory alloy supports stress of about 150 MPa or more while undergoing about 5% contraction when powered by a mixture of oxygen (or air) and either MeOH vapor, formic acid vapor, or a noncombustible mixture of H2 in inert gas. — (BAUGHMAN*, R. H.; et al.; Sci. (Washington, D. C., USA) 311 (2006) 5767, 1580-1583; Dep. Chem., Univ. Tex., Dallas, Richardson, TX 75083, USA; Eng.) — W. Pewestorf