Autonomous MXene-PVDF actuator for flexible solar trackers

Shao Bo Tu; Lujia Xu; Jehad K. El Demellawi; Hanfeng Liang; Xiangming Xu; Sergei Lopatin; Stefaan De Wolf; Xixiang Zhang; Husam N. Alshareef

doi:10.1016/j.nanoen.2020.105277

Autonomous MXene-PVDF actuator for flexible solar trackers

Shao Bo Tu, Lujia Xu, Jehad K. El Demellawi, Hanfeng Liang, Xiangming Xu, Sergei Lopatin, Stefaan De Wolf, Xixiang Zhang, Husam N. Alshareef

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Abstract

We report a novel flexible solar tracking system based on a photothermal-thermomechanical (PT-TM) actuator comprised of Ti3C2Tx MXene and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) bilayer. The actuation function of the proposed device originates from photothermal and surface plasmon-assisted effects in MXenes, coupled with thermomechanical deformation of in-plane aligned PVDF polymer. Two types of solar tracking modes are evaluated based on the experimental deformation behavior of the PT-TM actuator. We find that the uniaxial East-West solar tracking option increases the overall energy intensity reaching the solar module by over 30%, in comparison with the optimized tilting-controlled mode. We also demonstrate the thermally driven self-oscillation of the MXene-PVDF device, which may have promising potential for optically and thermally driven soft robotics. The PT-TM actuator devices display robust mechanical strength and durability, with no noticeable degradation in their performance after more than 1000 cycles.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	105277
Journal	Nano Energy
Volume	77
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nanoen.2020.105277
State	Published - Aug 15 2020

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10.1016/j.nanoen.2020.105277

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@article{1951201c2fb54587abfb7b8a1085fe92,

title = "Autonomous MXene-PVDF actuator for flexible solar trackers",

abstract = "We report a novel flexible solar tracking system based on a photothermal-thermomechanical (PT-TM) actuator comprised of Ti3C2Tx MXene and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) bilayer. The actuation function of the proposed device originates from photothermal and surface plasmon-assisted effects in MXenes, coupled with thermomechanical deformation of in-plane aligned PVDF polymer. Two types of solar tracking modes are evaluated based on the experimental deformation behavior of the PT-TM actuator. We find that the uniaxial East-West solar tracking option increases the overall energy intensity reaching the solar module by over 30%, in comparison with the optimized tilting-controlled mode. We also demonstrate the thermally driven self-oscillation of the MXene-PVDF device, which may have promising potential for optically and thermally driven soft robotics. The PT-TM actuator devices display robust mechanical strength and durability, with no noticeable degradation in their performance after more than 1000 cycles.",

author = "Tu, {Shao Bo} and Lujia Xu and {El Demellawi}, {Jehad K.} and Hanfeng Liang and Xiangming Xu and Sergei Lopatin and {De Wolf}, Stefaan and Xixiang Zhang and Alshareef, {Husam N.}",

note = "KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2020-10-01 Acknowledged KAUST grant number(s): OSR-2016-CRG5-2977 Acknowledgements: We acknowledge funding support by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and Office of Sponsored Research (OSR) under Award No. OSR-2016-CRG5-2977. S.T. X.Z. and H.A. conceived the idea. S.T. designed the experiments. S.T. J.K.D. H.F.L. X.M.X, and S.L. performed materials fabrication and characterizations. L.X. and S.D.W. conducted simulation. S.T. L.X. and J.K.D. wrote the paper. The authors would like to appreciate the helpful discussion of Dr. Keith Mclntosh from PVlighthouse. All authors contributed to paper revision.",

year = "2020",

month = aug,

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doi = "10.1016/j.nanoen.2020.105277",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "77",

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journal = "Nano Energy",

issn = "2211-2855",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

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T1 - Autonomous MXene-PVDF actuator for flexible solar trackers

AU - Tu, Shao Bo

AU - Xu, Lujia

AU - El Demellawi, Jehad K.

AU - Liang, Hanfeng

AU - Xu, Xiangming

AU - Lopatin, Sergei

AU - De Wolf, Stefaan

AU - Zhang, Xixiang

AU - Alshareef, Husam N.

N1 - KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2020-10-01 Acknowledged KAUST grant number(s): OSR-2016-CRG5-2977 Acknowledgements: We acknowledge funding support by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and Office of Sponsored Research (OSR) under Award No. OSR-2016-CRG5-2977. S.T. X.Z. and H.A. conceived the idea. S.T. designed the experiments. S.T. J.K.D. H.F.L. X.M.X, and S.L. performed materials fabrication and characterizations. L.X. and S.D.W. conducted simulation. S.T. L.X. and J.K.D. wrote the paper. The authors would like to appreciate the helpful discussion of Dr. Keith Mclntosh from PVlighthouse. All authors contributed to paper revision.

PY - 2020/8/15

Y1 - 2020/8/15

N2 - We report a novel flexible solar tracking system based on a photothermal-thermomechanical (PT-TM) actuator comprised of Ti3C2Tx MXene and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) bilayer. The actuation function of the proposed device originates from photothermal and surface plasmon-assisted effects in MXenes, coupled with thermomechanical deformation of in-plane aligned PVDF polymer. Two types of solar tracking modes are evaluated based on the experimental deformation behavior of the PT-TM actuator. We find that the uniaxial East-West solar tracking option increases the overall energy intensity reaching the solar module by over 30%, in comparison with the optimized tilting-controlled mode. We also demonstrate the thermally driven self-oscillation of the MXene-PVDF device, which may have promising potential for optically and thermally driven soft robotics. The PT-TM actuator devices display robust mechanical strength and durability, with no noticeable degradation in their performance after more than 1000 cycles.

AB - We report a novel flexible solar tracking system based on a photothermal-thermomechanical (PT-TM) actuator comprised of Ti3C2Tx MXene and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) bilayer. The actuation function of the proposed device originates from photothermal and surface plasmon-assisted effects in MXenes, coupled with thermomechanical deformation of in-plane aligned PVDF polymer. Two types of solar tracking modes are evaluated based on the experimental deformation behavior of the PT-TM actuator. We find that the uniaxial East-West solar tracking option increases the overall energy intensity reaching the solar module by over 30%, in comparison with the optimized tilting-controlled mode. We also demonstrate the thermally driven self-oscillation of the MXene-PVDF device, which may have promising potential for optically and thermally driven soft robotics. The PT-TM actuator devices display robust mechanical strength and durability, with no noticeable degradation in their performance after more than 1000 cycles.

UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10754/665023

UR - https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2211285520308545

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85089913712&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.nanoen.2020.105277

DO - 10.1016/j.nanoen.2020.105277

M3 - Article

SN - 2211-2855

VL - 77

SP - 105277

JO - Nano Energy

JF - Nano Energy

ER -

Autonomous MXene-PVDF actuator for flexible solar trackers

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