Cross-linking super-growth carbon nanotubes to boost the performance of bucky gel actuators

Chemical cross-linking of super-growth carbon nanotubes was performed to increase bucky gel actuators efficiency in transferring motion from the nano-scale to the micro-scale. The modification was achieved by a three-step reaction i.e. first an oxidation with nitric acid, then a chlorination process with thionyl chloride and finally the cross-linking with an aromatic diamine. The use of cross-linked nanotubes in bucky gel results in a threefold increase of the charge transfer capability of the composite material and an increase up to ten times of the strain generated by the resulting actuators. To our knowledge, such bucky gel actuators, prepared using cross-linked super growth carbon nanotubes, outperform any other electrochemical carbon nanotube actuator presented so far. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.