Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
University of British Columbia
$83,899.00
Characterizing wet materials and actuators
FY 2007-08
Summary
Artificial muscle technologies based on conducting polymers, carbon nanotubes, metal filaments, and expanding rubber-like materials are under development. All these actuator technologies operate in a wet environment and change dimension in response to applied voltage. Another area of research supported by this proposal is the processing and characterization of silk and hagfish fibers that are being assembled into structures to create ultrastrong and tough materials. Characterization of all these materials will be performed using an active material testing instrument that measures mechanical and electromechanical properties of materials. The instrument enables testing in wet environments and over a range of temperatures. The measurements obtained will greatly assist incorporation of the actuator and fibre technologies into devices, including a catheter being developed for imaging of arterial tissue. The test equipment will accelerate the development of new artificial muscle technologies that promise to greatly exceed the performance of our own muscle. It will also support the development of new artificial protein-based fibers which are expected to show incredible strength and toughness.
Program
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Recipient
Location
British Columbia, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
360234-2008
Name nom
Madden, John
Department département
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Organization id
2
Institution établissement
University of British Columbia
Province en
British Columbia
Province fr
Colombie-Britannique
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2007
Competition year année de concours
2008
Award amount
83899
Program id
EQPEQ
Program name en
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Program name fr
Outils et instruments de recherche - catégorie 1 (<150 000$)
Group en
Discovery grants programs
Group fr
Programmes de subventions à la découverte
Committee code
335
Committee name en
Electromag. & Electr. Systems (H)
Committee name fr
Électromagn. et syst. électr. (H)
Area of application code
518
Area of application group en
Manufacturing processes and products
Area of application group fr
Procédés et produits industriels
Area of application en
Medical equipment and apparatus
Area of application fr
Appareils et instruments médicaux
Research subject code
2001
Research subject group en
Materials science and technology
Research subject group fr
Science et technologie des matériaux
Research subject en
Materials structure, properties and testing
Research subject fr
Structure, propriétés et essais des matériaux
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
Characterizing wet materials and actuators
Keyword
NA
Application summary
Artificial muscle technologies based on conducting polymers, carbon nanotubes, metal filaments, and expanding rubber-like materials are under development. All these actuator technologies operate in a wet environment and change dimension in response to applied voltage. Another area of research supported by this proposal is the processing and characterization of silk and hagfish fibers that are being assembled into structures to create ultrastrong and tough materials. Characterization of all these materials will be performed using an active material testing instrument that measures mechanical and electromechanical properties of materials. The instrument enables testing in wet environments and over a range of temperatures. The measurements obtained will greatly assist incorporation of the actuator and fibre technologies into devices, including a catheter being developed for imaging of arterial tissue. The test equipment will accelerate the development of new artificial muscle technologies that promise to greatly exceed the performance of our own muscle. It will also support the development of new artificial protein-based fibers which are expected to show incredible strength and toughness.
