Due to an upcoming publication opportunity, details of this project can only be presented in a limited manner to the public. Please contact me privately for more details.
Thesis Proposal and Overview
Optimal Design of an Electrostatic Zipper, M.P. Brenner, J.H. Lang, J. Li and A.H. Slocum, 2004
This Master’s Thesis will explore novel concepts and possibilities in electrostatic actuation. Currently, electrostatic actuators are typically used in applications on the nano and microscale level due to their high efficiency and low current requirements. However, because the voltage requirement for actuation tends to increase with the displacement, it is difficult to expand this technique to larger scale applications. However, with the concept of an “electrostatic zipper,” it is possible to achieve greater displacement and force with a lower supplied voltage than conventional geometries have achieved.
When a voltage is applied between two parallel plates, a uniform electrostatic attractive force is felt between them. This force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the plates. The voltage required to pull these two plates into contact is called the “pull-in” voltage. Drawing from this concept, an electrostatic zipper can be created by angling the two charged plates and allowing one of the plates to be flexible. Doing so will cause the force on the close end of the plate to be greater than the far end. As the end of the flexible plate experiencing higher forces is drawn closer to the fixed plate and deformed, the forces applied to the rest of the plate will increase as well. When the close end of the plates make contact, the flexibility of the plate will allow the contact point to propagate down the gap of the two plates, creating a zipper-like effect. This design will allow greater actuation capabilities with lower pull-in voltage requirements than that of a simpler electrostatic actuator. While other research teams have already successfully designed electrostatic zipper actuators, this Master’s Thesis will focus on the application of an electrostatic zipper to a hinge actuator. The goal will be to design and fabricate a device that will produce large angular displacements and usable torque on the macroscale by making a hinge that is actuated with electrostatic force. A system will also be explored, implemented and studied to control the dynamic actuation of the hinge. After a prototype is designed and successfully tested, the hinge will be integrated into a larger system to demonstrate its potential for application.