A Low-Voltage, High-Force Capacity Electroadhesive Clutch Based on Ionoelastomer Heterojunctions.

Electroadhesive devices with dielectric films can electrically program changes in stiffness and adhesion, but require hundreds of volts and are subject to failure by dielectric breakdown. Recent work on ionoelastomer heterojunctions has enabled reversible electroadhesion with low voltages, but these materials exhibit limited force capacities and high detachment forces. It is a grand challenge to engineer electroadhesives with large force capacities and programmable detachment at low voltages (<10 V). In this work, we synthesize tough ionoelastomer/metal mesh composites with low surface energies and controlled surface roughness to realize sub-ten-volt clutches that are small, strong, and easily detachable. Models based on fracture and contact mechanics explain how clutch compliance and surface texture affect force capacity and contact area, which we validate over different geometries and voltages. These ionoelastomer clutches outperform the best existing electroadhesive clutches by five-fold in force capacity per unit area (102 N/cm 2 ), with a 40-fold reduction in operating voltage (± 7.5 V). Finally, we demonstrate the ability of our ionoelastomer clutches to resist bending moments in a finger wearable and as a reversible adhesive in an adjustable phone mount. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.