Chapter 6 - Stimuli-Responsive Materials From Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) of various forms, for example, individual nanotubes, disordered or aligned mats, sheets and fibers, represent one of the most explored building materials for stimuli-responsive materials because of their unique structure and remarkable mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties. Many attempts have been made to design actuators and chromic materials from CNTs. The resulting actuators can be driven by many stimuli including electricity, solvent, and light, while the chromic materials are typically driven by electrochromism, thermochromism, and electrochemical oxidation/reduction. This chapter summarizes the current actuators and the chromic materials from CNTs, as well as their applications in various fields. We will provide fundamental descriptions of the development of these actuators and chromic materials according to the mechanisms.