Research on Enhancing Thermal Conductivity and Resilience in Shape Memory Alloy-Based Flexible Actuators

Kaiyue Niu; Shijie Wang; Meiying Yang; Qi Wen; Qiqiang Hu; Junyang Li

doi:10.1109/ROBIO66223.2025.11376038

Research on Enhancing Thermal Conductivity and Resilience in Shape Memory Alloy-Based Flexible Actuators

Kaiyue Niu (Co-first Author)
, Shijie Wang (Co-first Author)
, Meiying Yang
, Qi Wen
, Qiqiang Hu
, Junyang Li

Department of Biomedical Engineering

Research output: Chapters, Conference Papers, Creative and Literary Works › RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication) › peer-review

Abstract

In recent years, shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators have attracted widespread attention in the field of soft bioinspired robotics due to their compact structure and adaptable output force characteristics. However, their significant hysteresis and slow cooling rate limit their practical performance. This study proposes a novel SMA-based flexible actuator, which employs a composite encapsulation layer made of carbon nanotube (CNT)-doped polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The effect of CNT concentration on the actuator's thermal conductivity and resilience capability was systematically investigated. Experimental and simulation results show that the actuator doped with 3 wt% CNT outperforms the undoped version in thermal transfer efficiency, cooling rate, and resilience performance under original actuation. Specifically, its thermal conductivity increased by 64.7%, and the operating temperature of the SMA wire was reduced by 41.7%. Furthermore, the actuator was applied to a flexible three-finger gripper, and experimental validation confirmed its superior dynamic response and thermal stability in cyclic motion tasks. This study provides an effective strategy and technical pathway for enhancing the practical applicability of SMA actuators in soft robotic systems. © 2025 IEEE.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of 2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics
Publisher	IEEE
Pages	454-459
Number of pages	6
ISBN (Electronic)	979-8-3315-5747-8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/ROBIO66223.2025.11376038
Publication status	Published - Dec 2025
Event	2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics (IEEE ROBIO 2025) - Grand Bay Hotel Chengdu , Chengdu, China Duration: 3 Dec 2025 → 7 Dec 2025

Publication series

Name	IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics, ROBIO
ISSN (Print)	2994-3566
ISSN (Electronic)	2994-3574

Conference

Conference	2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics (IEEE ROBIO 2025)
Place	China
City	Chengdu
Period	3/12/25 → 7/12/25

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.62201537), the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (No. ZR2022QF008), the Shandong Province Science and Technology SMES Innovation Ability Improvement Project (No.2024TSGC1015), the Qingdao Key Technology Breakthrough Project for Industrial Cultivation and Leadership (International and Hong Kong Science and Technology Cooperation) (NO.25-1-1-gjgg-95-hz) and the Joint Key Innovation Project of the Yangtze River Delta Science and Technology Innovation Community(2023CSJZN0203).

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10.1109/ROBIO66223.2025.11376038

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Niu, K., Wang, S., Yang, M., Wen, Q., Hu, Q., & Li, J. (2025). Research on Enhancing Thermal Conductivity and Resilience in Shape Memory Alloy-Based Flexible Actuators. In Proceedings of 2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics (pp. 454-459). (IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics, ROBIO). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ROBIO66223.2025.11376038

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title = "Research on Enhancing Thermal Conductivity and Resilience in Shape Memory Alloy-Based Flexible Actuators",

abstract = "In recent years, shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators have attracted widespread attention in the field of soft bioinspired robotics due to their compact structure and adaptable output force characteristics. However, their significant hysteresis and slow cooling rate limit their practical performance. This study proposes a novel SMA-based flexible actuator, which employs a composite encapsulation layer made of carbon nanotube (CNT)-doped polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The effect of CNT concentration on the actuator's thermal conductivity and resilience capability was systematically investigated. Experimental and simulation results show that the actuator doped with 3 wt\% CNT outperforms the undoped version in thermal transfer efficiency, cooling rate, and resilience performance under original actuation. Specifically, its thermal conductivity increased by 64.7\%, and the operating temperature of the SMA wire was reduced by 41.7\%. Furthermore, the actuator was applied to a flexible three-finger gripper, and experimental validation confirmed its superior dynamic response and thermal stability in cyclic motion tasks. This study provides an effective strategy and technical pathway for enhancing the practical applicability of SMA actuators in soft robotic systems. {\textcopyright} 2025 IEEE.",

author = "Kaiyue Niu and Shijie Wang and Meiying Yang and Qi Wen and Qiqiang Hu and Junyang Li",

year = "2025",

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doi = "10.1109/ROBIO66223.2025.11376038",

language = "English",

series = "IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics, ROBIO",

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pages = "454--459",

booktitle = "Proceedings of 2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics",

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Niu, K, Wang, S, Yang, M, Wen, Q, Hu, Q & Li, J 2025, Research on Enhancing Thermal Conductivity and Resilience in Shape Memory Alloy-Based Flexible Actuators. in Proceedings of 2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics . IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics, ROBIO, IEEE, pp. 454-459, 2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics (IEEE ROBIO 2025), Chengdu, China, 3/12/25. https://doi.org/10.1109/ROBIO66223.2025.11376038

Research on Enhancing Thermal Conductivity and Resilience in Shape Memory Alloy-Based Flexible Actuators. / Niu, Kaiyue (Co-first Author); Wang, Shijie (Co-first Author); Yang, Meiying et al.
Proceedings of 2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics . IEEE, 2025. p. 454-459 (IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics, ROBIO).

Research output: Chapters, Conference Papers, Creative and Literary Works › RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication) › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Research on Enhancing Thermal Conductivity and Resilience in Shape Memory Alloy-Based Flexible Actuators

AU - Niu, Kaiyue

AU - Wang, Shijie

AU - Yang, Meiying

AU - Wen, Qi

AU - Hu, Qiqiang

AU - Li, Junyang

PY - 2025/12

Y1 - 2025/12

N2 - In recent years, shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators have attracted widespread attention in the field of soft bioinspired robotics due to their compact structure and adaptable output force characteristics. However, their significant hysteresis and slow cooling rate limit their practical performance. This study proposes a novel SMA-based flexible actuator, which employs a composite encapsulation layer made of carbon nanotube (CNT)-doped polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The effect of CNT concentration on the actuator's thermal conductivity and resilience capability was systematically investigated. Experimental and simulation results show that the actuator doped with 3 wt% CNT outperforms the undoped version in thermal transfer efficiency, cooling rate, and resilience performance under original actuation. Specifically, its thermal conductivity increased by 64.7%, and the operating temperature of the SMA wire was reduced by 41.7%. Furthermore, the actuator was applied to a flexible three-finger gripper, and experimental validation confirmed its superior dynamic response and thermal stability in cyclic motion tasks. This study provides an effective strategy and technical pathway for enhancing the practical applicability of SMA actuators in soft robotic systems. © 2025 IEEE.

AB - In recent years, shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators have attracted widespread attention in the field of soft bioinspired robotics due to their compact structure and adaptable output force characteristics. However, their significant hysteresis and slow cooling rate limit their practical performance. This study proposes a novel SMA-based flexible actuator, which employs a composite encapsulation layer made of carbon nanotube (CNT)-doped polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The effect of CNT concentration on the actuator's thermal conductivity and resilience capability was systematically investigated. Experimental and simulation results show that the actuator doped with 3 wt% CNT outperforms the undoped version in thermal transfer efficiency, cooling rate, and resilience performance under original actuation. Specifically, its thermal conductivity increased by 64.7%, and the operating temperature of the SMA wire was reduced by 41.7%. Furthermore, the actuator was applied to a flexible three-finger gripper, and experimental validation confirmed its superior dynamic response and thermal stability in cyclic motion tasks. This study provides an effective strategy and technical pathway for enhancing the practical applicability of SMA actuators in soft robotic systems. © 2025 IEEE.

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DO - 10.1109/ROBIO66223.2025.11376038

M3 - RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication)

T3 - IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics, ROBIO

SP - 454

EP - 459

BT - Proceedings of 2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics

PB - IEEE

T2 - 2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics (IEEE ROBIO 2025)

Y2 - 3 December 2025 through 7 December 2025

ER -

Research on Enhancing Thermal Conductivity and Resilience in Shape Memory Alloy-Based Flexible Actuators

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