Liquid-to-Gas Phase Change-Based Stretchable Actuator with Integrated Carbon Nanotube Bundles

In this study, we developed a stretchable phase-change material (PCM) actuator by integrating entangled vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) onto an elastomer. Joule heating of the CNT bundles efficiently vaporizes the liquid PCM, resulting in actuation. The entangled CNT strands suppress the changes in resistance of the actuator even under large strain, enabling stable heat generation. The actuator demonstrates reliable operation under various driving powers and repeated actuation cycles. Owing to high durability, the actuator operates stably even after undergoing 100% strain for 300 cycles. The VACNTs-based stretchable actuator shows potential for applications in wearable devices.