Optimization of magnetoactive polymer membranes using radial magnetization

Abstract

Magnetoactive polymer membranes (MAPMs) are manufactured by synthesizing magnetic powders and silicon. Owing to the unique combination of their magnetic and elastic properties, MAPMs have attracted considerable interest as actuators for applications such as soft robotics and medical drug pumps. However, the real-world applications of MAPMs are limited by complicated magnetization processes and their inability to generate large actuation forces. Herein, we propose a radially magnetized MAPM and a magnetization process that eliminates repetitive folding, resulting in elaborate and uniformly magnetized MAPMs without any additional processes. We optimized the membrane thickness and concentration of the magnetic particles by considering the trade-off between actuation performance and controllability. Moreover, we optimized the membrane thickness and concentration of the magnetic powders by analyzing their actuation performance using custom-made pump system. We also quantified the performance of the pump by evaluating its flow rate and precision. Our results show that the maximum outlet pressure of radially-magnetized MAPMs was higher than those of MAPMs manufactured using conventional vertical magnetization by more than 5.5 times. Overall, this study presents a promising candidate for driving miniaturized pump systems and demonstrates the potential of MAPMs as versatile actuators. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd