Induction heating for a silicone / ethanol composite actuator

Nowadays, intensive development in the field of smart materials and the possibilities of their application are observed. One of the promising materials is the silicone / ethanol composite liquid-vapor phase transition of ethanol. It consists of drops of ethanol in a silicone matrix. It has the ability to achieve strain up to several hundred percent and exert significant force, while being relatively easily manufactured and inexpensive. This work presents a linear actuator based on this material, which uses induction heating to quickly provide heat necessary for the system to operate. A prototype was built in which the active material reached an elongation of over 75% when heated to 85° C. The paper presents basic information about the silicone / ethanol composite, describe the concepts of actuator design and physical basis of its operation. The results of the experimental study of the mechanical properties of the built prototype are presented.