Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER
6
M
uscular Biopolyme
rs
Mohsen Shahinpoor
Mechanical Engineering Department,
University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
Prospectus
This chapter discusses properties and characteristics
of ionic biopolymer-metal nanocomposites (IBMCs) as
biomimetic multifunctional distributed nanoactuators,
nanosensors, nanotransducers, and artificial muscles.
After presenting some fundamental properties of bio-
mimetic distributed nanosensing and nanoactuation of
ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) and IBMCs,
the discussion extends to some recent advances in
the manufacturing techniques and 3-D fabrication
of IBMCs and some recent modeling and simula-
tions, sensing and transduction, and product devel-
opment. This chapter also presents procedures on
how biopolymers such as chitosan and perfluorinated
ionic polymers can be combined to make new nano-
composites with actuation, energy harvesting, and
sensing capabilities. Chitin-based chitosan and ionic
polymeric networks containing conjugated ions that
can be redistributed by an imposed electric field and
consequently act as distributed nanosensors, nanoac-
tuators, and artificial muscles are also discussed. The
manufacturing methodologies are briefly discussed,
and the fundamental properties and characteristics
of biopolymeric muscles as artificial muscles are pre-
sented. Two ionic models based on linear irreversible
thermodynamics as well as charge dynamics of the
underlying sensing and actuation mechanisms are
also presented. Intercalation of biopolymers and ionic
polymers and subsequent chemical plating of them
with a noble metal by a reduction-oxidation (redox)
operation is also reported and the properties of the
new product are briefly discussed.
Keywords
Artificial muscles, Biopolymeric nanosensors, Chitin,
Chitosan, Ion-containing macromolecular networks,
Muscular biopolymers, Nanoactuators, Perfluorinated
ionic polymers.
6.1 INTRODUCTION
Direct conversion of chemical to mechanical
energy as occurs in biological muscles has been
the focus of many scientists and researchers
to achieve efficiencies as high as 50%. In com-
parison, most internal combustion engines and
steam turbines have about 30% efficiency at best.
6.1.1 Brief Description of Mammalian
Muscles
In order to reproduce similar properties of bio-
logical muscles in artificial counterparts, we
have to fully understand mechanisms, behav-
iors, and properties of natural muscles. This sec-
tion provides a brief summary of anatomical and
