Fully-Flexible Micro-Scale Actuator Array with the Liquid-Gas Phase Change Materials

This paper reports a fully flexible micro-actuator array utilizing a liquid-to-gas phase change mechanism. A stretchable membrane of the actuator is deformed by volume expansion and contraction by inducing vaporization and liquefaction of the phase change materials. The phase change mechanism has a high energy density inducing large displacement even in a small volume at the microscale, which is advantageous for downscaling compared to other actuation mechanisms, such as electrostatic and pneumatic actuation. Additionally, this device could be a candidate for next-generation wearable devices due to the flexibility originating from polymer (chamber and membrane) and liquid (phase change material).