In this paper a novel design of aerostatic thrust bearing is proposed and is analyzed numerically. The capillary restrictor and bearing disk are made of elastomer like silicone and PU. The viscoelasticity of elastomer helps the capillary expand for more air flux and at the same time, allows conicity of the bearing surface to form when the air pressure is enhanced. Therefore the bearing has the ...

The current smallest self-contained modular robot uses a shape memory alloy, which is inherently inefficient, slow and difficult to control. We present the design, fabrication and demonstration of a module based on dielectric elastomer actuation. The module uses a pair of bowtie dielectric elastomer actuators in an agonist-antagonist configuration and is seven times smaller than previously demo...

We study the adhesion between a cross-linked elastomer and a flat solid surface where polymer chains have been end-grafted. To understand the adhesive feature of such a system, one has to study both the origin of the grafted layer interdigitation with the network, and the endgrafted chains extraction out of the elastomer when it comes unstuck from the solid surface. We shall tackle here the fir...

Dynamic stretching of bilayer plates comprised of an elastomer layer bonded to a metal layer is studied with emphasis on neck development under plane strain. Neck retardation and multiple necks in the metal layer are promoted by the elastomer layer under quasi-static conditions and also by inertia in the all-metal layer under dynamic stretching. The present study explores the interaction of the...

nanocomposite samples based on elastomer blends of butyl rubber (iir) and ethylene propylene diene monomer (epdm) were prepared using a laboratory scale two-roll mill in order to study the effect of cloisite 15a organoclay content (i.e., 1, 3, 5 and 7 wt%) on the mechanical and morphological properties  of  iir/epdm/cloisite  15a  nanocomposites  compared  to  the  unflled epdm/iir blends. rheo...

The elastic response of a smectic-C elastomer to three deformations, namely imposed lambda(xx), lambda(xz), and lambda(zz), has been modeled using a nonlinear theory of a nematic elastomer with embedded smectic layers, and with the director tilt (in the x direction) at a fixed angle with respect to the smectic layer normal (z direction). The main focus is the elastic response after any soft mod...

Citation: Bera T, Malcuit C, Clements RJ and Hegmann E (2016) Role of Surfactant during Microemulsion Photopolymerization for the Creation of Three-Dimensional Liquid Crystal Elastomer Microsphere Spatial Cell Scaffolds. Front. Mater. 3:31. doi: 10.3389/fmats.2016.00031 role of surfactant during Microemulsion Photopolymerization for the creation of Three-Dimensional liquid crystal elastomer Mic...

We find that low molecular weight liquid crystalline cooperative effects acting over length scales larger than the typical mesh size of a liquid single crystalline elastomer {LSCE), controls the elastomer shape. This result provides a “proof of concept” for the novel suggestion of de Gennes et al. that LSCEs may be used as temperature activated artificial muscles.

INTRODUCTION The aim of the study is to evaluate interfacial bond strength between silicone prosthetic elastomers and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). MATERIALS AND METHODS Silicone elastomers were attached to PMMA and a total 120 specimens were fabricated which were then subdivided into 12 sub-groups. Each sample was then subjected to laboratory test to determine the bond strength. The specime...

The development of thin-film dielectric elastomer strain sensors for the characterization of smooth muscle cell (SMC) contraction is presented here. Smooth muscle disorders are an integral part of diseases such as asthma and emphysema. Analytical tools enabling the characterization of SMC function i.e. contractile force and strain, in a low-cost and highly parallelized manner are necessary for ...