PROJECT TITLE :

Microhydraulic Electrowetting Actuators

ABSTRACT:

The conversion of electrical to mechanical power on a sub-centimeter scale may be a key technology in several microsystems and energy harvesting devices. In this paper, we have a tendency to present a sort of a capacitive energy conversion device that uses capillary pressure and electrowetting to reversibly convert electrical power to hydraulic power. These microhydraulic actuators use a high surface-to-volume ratio to deliver high power at a relatively low voltage with an energy conversion potency of over 65%. The capillary pressure generated grows linearly with shrinking capillary diameter, as will the frequency of actuation. We have a tendency to present the pressure, frequency, and power scaling properties of these actuators and demonstrate that power density scales up as the inverse capillary diameter squared, leading to high-potency actuators with a strength density exceeding biological muscle. 2 potential applications for microhydraulics are demonstrated: soft-microrobotics and energy harvesting.