Flexible Magnetostrictive Nanocellulose Membranes for Actuation, Sensing, and Energy Harvesting Applications
Aleksey Yermakov, Andrew Thompson, Christopher Coaty, Ronald Sabo, C. T. Law, Rani Elhajjar
Abstract
Magnetostrictive composite known as magnetostrictive nanocellulose membrances (MNMs) were fabricated by embedding Terfeonol-D particles into cellulose nanofibers (CNF). MNMs inherit flexibility and biodegradability from CNF while exhibiting magnetomechanical responses; as such, the valuable rare-earth (Terfenol-D) particles can be recycled. Various orientations of the Terfenol-D particles were induced in the MNMs, and those with in-plane alignment showed the strongest magnetostrictive effect but the lowest Villari effect. Materials with such a unique combination of properties dovetail nicely with Internet of Things that require ubiquitous sensing, actuation and energy harvesting in one package.