nl4000739_si_001.pdf (487.98 kB)
Reversible Sliding in Networks of Nanowires
journal contribution
posted on 2013-06-12, 00:00 authored by Jianghong Wu, Jianfeng Zang, Aaron R. Rathmell, Xuanhe Zhao, Benjamin J. WileyThis
work demonstrates that metal nanowires in a percolating network can
reversibly slide across one another. Reversible sliding allows networks
of metal nanowires to maintain electrical contact while being stretched
to strains greater than the fracture strain for individual nanowires.
This phenomenon was demonstrated by using networks of nanowires as
compliant electrodes for a dielectric elastomer actuator. Reversible
nanowire sliding enabled actuation to a maximum area strain of 200%
and repetitive cycling of the actuator to an area strain of 25% over
150 times. During actuation, the transmittance of the network increased
4.5 times, from 13% to 58%. Compared to carbon-based compliant electrodes,
networks of metal nanowires can actuate across a broader range of
optical transmittance. The widely tunable transmittance of nanowire-based
actuators allows for their use as a light valve.