Koda Mitsuhashi
Pronouns: he / him
Research Mentor(s): Young Geun Park
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Mechanical Engineering / Engineering
Program:
Authors: Koda Mitsuhashi, Young Geun Park
Session: Session 5: 2:40 pm – 3:30 pm
Poster: 91
Abstract
Self actuating structures, which transfer thermal, light, and chemical energy into mechanical functions, can harness previously unused ambient energy and allow energy to be more efficiently allocated. Despite the desirability for self actuating structures in industrial applications, it is difficult to achieve stable structures with long-term and high actuation rates that are reversible. Here, we describe a shutter construction that exhibits self-opening and closing in the presence of light. Six hexagon-shaped shutters were built by sandwiching graphene between layers of polymer and metal. Using a solar simulator, each shutter design was put through cyclic testing between low and high photon intensities. The results showed that the shutters could be reversible for up to three cycles and have relative actuation up to 10 times bigger than the industry standard. Further work on the structure’s shutter designs aims for near 100% actuation with long term consistent reversibility when cycled between low and high photon intensity. The hexagonal shutter design’s use of graphene between metal and polymer addresses low actuation and reversibility in self-actuating structures and will improve energy efficiency in systems like air ventilation for interior climate control.
