Single-layer Carbon Nanotubes Research Articles

Spray-lithography of hybrid graphene-perovskite paper-based photodetectors for sustainable electronics

Paper is an ideal substrate for the development of flexible and environmentally sustainable ubiquitous electronic systems. When combined with nanomaterial-based devices, it can be harnessed for various Internet-of-Things applications, ranging from wearable electronics to smart packaging. However, paper remains a challenging substrate for electronics due to its rough and porous nature. In addition, the absence of established fabrication methods is impeding its utilization in wearable applications. Unlike other paper-based electronics with added layers, in this study, we present a scalable spray-lithography on a commercial paper substrate. We present a non-vacuum spray-lithography of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) single-layer graphene (SLG), carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and perovskite quantum dots (QDs) on a paper substrate. This approach combines the advantages of two large-area techniques: CVD and spray-coating. The first technique allows for the growth of SLG, while the second enables the spray coating of a mask to pattern CVD SLG, electrodes (CNTs), and photoactive (QDs) layers. We harness the advantages of perovskite QDs in photodetection, leveraging their strong absorption coefficients. Integrating them with the graphene enhances the photoconductive gain mechanism, leading to high external responsivity. The presented device shows high external responsivity of ∼520 A W−1 at 405 nm at <1 V bias due to the photoconductive gain mechanism. The prepared paper-based photodetectors (PDs) achieve an external responsivity of 520 A W−1 under 405 nm illumination at <1 V operating voltage. To the best of our knowledge, our devices have the highest external responsivity among paper-based PDs. By fabricating arrays of PDs on a paper substrate in the air, this work highlights the potential of this scalable approach for enabling ubiquitous electronics on paper.

Composite Nanomaterials Based on Polymethylmethacrylate Doped with Carbon Nanotubes and Nanoparticles: A Review.

Composite polymer materials have high strength and lightness, which makes them attractive for use in a variety of structures and products. The present article contains an overview of modern works devoted to the production of composite materials based on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with improved characteristics. The possibility of obtaining such materials can be a key area for creating more efficient and durable products in various industries. Various methods were considered to improve the characteristics of PMMA by doping the polymer matrix with carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphite, nanohydroxyapatite particles, micro-zirconia nanoparticles, titanium dioxide, etc. The possibilities of using the obtained composite materials in various industries such as aviation, automotive, construction, medical and others are discussed. This article also presents the results of our own research on the mechanisms of interaction of PMMA with single-layer CNTs, leading to the creation of a composite polymer system "PMMA+CNT", achieved using the modern quantum chemical method DFT. This article presents a review of the recent research on the effect of CNTs on the mechanical and electrically conductive properties of nanocomposite materials. The outcomes of this study can be important for the development of science and technology in various fields, from fundamental chemistry to applied scientific research.

Improving the water-repellent properties of carbon nanotube-polycarbonate composites by introducing nanoscale patterns into the injection molding process

In this study, we explore the impact of hydrophobic nanomaterials, specifically carbon nanotubes (CNTs), on the water repellency of composite materials. These composites are prepared by combining multilayered or single-layered CNTs with polycarbonate (PC). Our goal was to develop highly water-repellent materials by directly forming nanopatterns on the surface through injection molding to enhance water repellency. Irrespective of the CNT type, widening the spacing between surface patterns and increasing the CNT concentration from 0 to 30 wt% resulted in a notable increase in the water contact angle to 161°, surpassing that of Teflon (108°). Moreover, in the multilayered CNT/PC system, a reduction in the sliding angle was observed compared to that of pure polycarbonate, demonstrating a lotus effect-like trend. Conversely, in the case of single-layered CNTs, despite an increase in the contact angle, the sliding angle did not decrease as significantly as in the multilayered CNTs. This implies that the superior transferability during the injection molding process of multilayered CNT/PC compared to single-layered CNT/PC is the underlying factor. This technology holds promise not only in the realm of mobility, such as in the aviation and automotive industries, but also in the medical field, with applications in microfluidic devices.

Nanocomposite Material Based on Polyvinyl Alcohol Modified with Carbon Nanotubes: Mechanism of Formation and Electronic Energy Structure

The physical chemistry of surface phenomena in polymers is an important issue when studying the interaction of polymers with solid surfaces. This is due to the fact that most of the modern polymer materials are heterogeneous systems with highly developed phase separation surfaces. An example of such materials can be reinforced plastic, filled thermoplastics, reinforced rubber, paint coatings, etc. Polymer adsorption at the boundary of the phase separation process in solids plays an important role in the reinforcing effect of fillers, adhesion, gluing and obtaining composite materials with high strength properties. Compositions based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) modified with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be used as an interesting and informative system for studying the structure and properties of polymer nanocomposites, especially in a highly oriented state. PVA has one of the simplest chemical structure among the polymers, containing a functional (hydroxyl) group capable of participating in interphase interactions. In turn, carbon nanotubes with unique strength properties are currently products of industrial production, which makes it possible to control and modify their properties. To prove the possibility of creating new composite materials with improved strength characteristics, the mechanisms of interaction between PVA and CNTs are studied by modeling the adsorption processes of a polymer fragment on the outer surface of single-layer carbon nanotubes of different chirality, performed within the framework of the modern DFT calculation method. The main adsorption characteristics of the process and the features of the electron energy structure of the resulting composite systems are determined.

Thermal transport in a defective pillared graphene network: insights from equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation.

Graphene-based hybrid nanostructures have great potential to be ideal candidates for developing tailored thermal transport materials. In this study, we perform equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations employing the Green-Kubo method to investigate the influence of topological defects in three-dimensional pillared graphene networks. Similar to single-layer graphene and carbon nanotubes, the thermal conductivity (k) of pillared graphene systems exhibits a strong correlation with the system size (L), following a power-law relation k ∼ Lα, where α ranges from 0.12 to 0.15. Our results indicate that the vacancy defects significantly reduce thermal conductivity in pillared graphene systems compared to Stone-Wales defects. We observe that, beyond defect concentration, the location of the defects also plays a crucial role in determining thermal conductivity. We further analyze the phonon vibrational spectrum and the phonon participation ratio to obtain more insight into the thermal transport in the defective pillared graphene network. In most scenarios, longitudinal and flexural acoustic phonons experience significant localization within the 15-45 THz frequency range in the defective pillared graphene system.

Piezoresistive Effect of Conductive and Non-Conductive Fillers in Bi-Layer Hybrid CNT Composites under Extreme Strain.

Polymers mixed with conductive fillers hold significant potential for use in stretchable and wearable sensor devices. Enhancing the piezoresistive effect and mechanical stability is critical for these devices. To explore the changes in the electrical resistance under high strains, typically unachievable in single-layer composites, bi-layer structures were fabricated from carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and EcoFlex composites to see unobservable strain regions. Spherical types of non-conductive fillers composed of polystyrene and conductive filler, coated with Ni and Au on non-conductive fillers, were used as secondary fillers to improve the piezoresistive sensitivity of composites, and their respective impact on the conductive network was compared. The electrical and mechanical properties were examined in the static state to understand the impact of these secondary fillers. The changes in the electrical resistance under 100% and 300% tensile strain, and their dependence on the inherent electrical properties of the secondary fillers, were also investigated. Single-layer CNT composites proved incapable of withstanding 300% strain, whereas the bi-layer structures proved resilient. By implementing cyclic stretching tests, contrary to non-conductive fillers, reduced piezoresistive influence of the conductive secondary filler under extreme strain conditions could be observed.

Исследование возможности создания композитов на основе биополимера, армированного углеродными нанотрубками, для использования их в протезировании

One of the main and fairly new materials for prosthetics are polymers. Among the most commonly used materials nowadays in the design and manufacture of prostheses are polyetheretherketones (PEEK), which have excellent stiffness and strength. They can be modified with fillers to improve their already impressive properties. This results in increased durability of the materials, so that prosthetic components remain strong and viable even after years of use. There are many ways to obtain structural materials with improved functional properties, one of which is the introduction of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the matrix of polymer composite material (PCM), which, having unique physical and chemical properties, modify the polymer-matrix for further use in special-purpose products. This paper presents the results of the study of the possibility of creating composites based on biopolymer polyetheretherketone reinforced with carbon nanotubes for their use as a material for prostheses that can be produced by 3D printing. The interaction of a single-layer carbon nanotube (6, 6) with a polyetheretherketone monomer and with a fragment consisting of four PEEK monomers was modeled and studied. One-center and two-center interactions have been studied. The calculations were performed within the framework of the quantum-chemical DFT method with different basis sets. The main interaction parameters were determined and the possibility of realizing the modification of the polymer by nanotubes was proved, which can serve as a stimulus for the creation of a new material that will have new unique properties for the creation of durable prosthetic limbs.

Improvement of Hybrid Electrode Material Synthesis for Energy Accumulators Based on Carbon Nanotubes and Porous Structures.

Carbon materials are promising for use as electrodes for supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries due to a number of properties, such as non-toxicity, high specific surface area, good electronic conductivity, chemical inertness, and a wide operating temperature range. Carbon-based electrodes, with their characteristic high specific power and good cyclic stability, can be used for a new generation of consumer electronics, biomedical devices and hybrid electric vehicles. However, most carbon materials, due to their low electrical conductivity and insufficient diffusion of electrolyte ions in complex micropores, have energy density limitations in these devices due to insufficient number of pores for electrolyte diffusion. This work focuses on the optimization of a hybrid material based on porous carbon and carbon nanotubes by mechanical mixing. The purpose of this work is to gain new knowledge about the effect of hybrid material composition on its specific capacitance. The material for the study is taken on the basis of porous carbon and carbon nanotubes. Electrodes made of this hybrid material were taken as an object of research. Porous carbon or nitrogen-containing porous carbon (combined with single-, double-, or multi-layer carbon nanotubes (single-layer carbon nanotubes, bilayer carbon nanotubes or multilayer carbon nanotubes) were used to create the hybrid material. The effect of catalytic chemical vapor deposition synthesis parameters, such as flow rate and methane-to-hydrogen ratio, as well as the type of catalytic system on the multilayer carbon nanotubes structure was investigated. Two types of catalysts based on Mo12O28 (μ2-OH)12{Co(H2O)3}4 were prepared for the synthesis of multilayer carbon nanotubes by precipitation and combustion. The resulting carbon materials were tested as electrodes for supercapacitors and lithium ion intercalation. Electrodes based on nitrogen-containing porous carbon/carbon nanotubes 95:5% were found to be the most efficient compared to nitrogen-doped porous carbon by 10%. Carbon nanotubes, bilayer carbon nanotubes and multilayer carbon nanotubes synthesized using the catalyst obtained by deposition were selected as additives for the hybrid material. The hybrid materials were obtained by mechanical mixing and dispersion in an aqueous solution followed by lyophilization to remove water. When optimizing the ratio of the hybrid material components, the most effective porous carbon:carbon nanotubes component ratio was determined.

Sensitive Detection of Hydroxytyrosol in Extra Virgin Olive Oils with a Novel Biosensor Based on Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes and Tyrosinase.

Hydroxytyrosol (HT) is an important marker for the authenticity and quality assessment of extra virgin olive oils (EVOO). The aim of the study was the qualitative and quantitative determination of hydroxytyrosol in commercial extra virgin olive oils of different origins and varieties using a newly developed biosensor based on a screen-printed electrode modified with single-layer carbon nanotubes and tyrosinase (SPE-SWCNT-Ty). The enzyme was immobilized on a carbon-based screen-printed electrode previously modified with single-layer carbon nanotubes (SPE-SWCNT-Ty) by the drop-and-dry method, followed by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde. The modified electrode surface was characterized by different methods, including electrochemical (cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)) and spectrometric (Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy) methods. Cyclic voltammetry was used for the quantitative determination of HT, obtaining a detection limit of 3.49 × 10−8 M and a quantification limit of 1.0 × 10−7 M, with a wide linearity range (0.49–15.602 µM). The electrochemical performance of the SPE-SWCNT-Ty biosensor was compared with that of the modified SPE-SWCNT sensor, and the results showed increased selectivity and sensitivity of the biosensor due to the electrocatalytic activity of tyrosinase. The results obtained from the quantitative determination of HT showed that commercial EVOOs contain significant amounts of HT, proving the high quality of the finished products. The determination of the antiradical activity of HT was carried out spectrophotometrically using the free reagent galvinoxyl. The results showed that there is a very good correlation between the antiradical capacity of EVOOs, the voltammetric response and implicitly the increased concentration of HT. SPE-SWCNT-Ty has multiple advantages such as sensitivity, selectivity, feasibility and low cost and could be used in routine analysis for quality control of food products such as vegetable oils.

The study of carbon nanomaterials by IR-Fourier spectroscopy, obtained by the action of an ultrasonic field on graphite

In this work, the absorption lines corresponding to nanomaterials (nanotubes, nanofibers, graphene), as well as vibrational spectra in the studied samples of graphene structures obtained by processing an ultrasonic field on an aromatic hydrocarbon and pure graphite, are studied by IR-Fourier spectroscopy. With an increase in time in the studied spectra of ultrasonic treatment on pure graphite, absorption bands are observed in the frequency range of ν= 2967,7 cm-1, 2926,1 cm-1, 2853 cm-1, 1449 cm-1, related to stretching and deformation vibrations of the bond C-H of saturated aromatic hydrocarbons. The spectra of carbonyl (carbon) compounds of the C-C bond are also noted in the regions of the absorption bands: 1449,9 cm-1÷1652,6 cm-1. This means that in the IR spectra, with an increase in the time of sonication, the carbon formations of asymmetric stretching vibrations of C-C bonds increase. In these frequency ranges, the absorption bands corresponding to adsorbed benzene are not observed. With an increase in the processing time of the samples, the absorption band of OH hydroxyl groups is not observed. In the samples under study, numerous aromatic carbon-carbon bonds are observed, due to the collective groups of vibrations of carbon nanomaterials (graphene structures, nanofibers, single-layer and multilayer carbon nanotubes, etc.).

Design of a Smart Conducting Nanocomposite with an Extended Strain Sensing Range by Conjugating Hybrid Structures

In recent years, flexible and wearable strain sensors, consisting of a polymer matrix and a conducting filler, have received extensive attention owing to their physical advantages, such as being lightweight, stretchable, and having the potential for application to complex forms. However, achieving a low hysteresis of the relative change in resistance, wide sensing range, and reduced plastic deformation is still challenging. To address these issues, in this study, we developed hybrid conducting composites with a wide range of sensing abilities and low hysteresis. The bi-layer composites, comprising a carbon nanotube (CNT) composite layer with reinforced/conducting properties, and a natural rubber-based layer with extreme strain properties, could effectively circumvent their limitations. Compared to single-layer CNT composites, the bi-layer structure could increase the tensile strain with reduced plastic deformation, resulting in the prevention of surface cracks on the CNT composite. In addition, it has the benefit of measuring a wider sensing range, which cannot be measured in a single-CNT composite system. A cyclic stretching/releasing test was performed to demonstrate that the strain sensor exhibited excellent reproducibility. Our results can function as a useful design guide for stretchable sensor applications.

Исследование сорбционных свойств углеродных нанотрубок для очистки воды от неорганических примесей

Studies of adsorption properties of carbon nanotubes with respect to inorganic molecules have been carried out. Theoretical quantum-chemical calculations of the interaction of the most common impurity molecules in water with carbon nanotubes were made. Analysis of modern water purification filters shows the general disadvantage of all modern filters – they clean water only from a certain type of pollution. In order to clean water from a wide range of different pollutants, it is necessary to carry out multistage purification, with different types of filters, which is very resource intensive, and takes quite a long time. Using carbon nanomaterials as filters will solve this problem. For the study, the most common inorganic substances were chosen, which are most often found in drinking water: calcium chloride CaCl2, magnesium chloride MgCl2, sodium chloride NaCl, calcium carbonate CaCO3, magnesium carbonate MgCO3, calcium sulfate CaSO4, magnesium sulfate MgSO4. Processes of adsorption interaction of selected inorganic impurity molecules to the surface of single-layer carbon nanotubes of type (6,6) were investigated. Surface profiles of potential energy of interaction of molecules (calcium, magnesium and sodium salts) with surface of carbon nanotube are constructed. The positive effect of carbon nanostructures on the process of water purification from inorganic impurities is shown, meaning the possibility of using CNT as a filter for water purification.

Theoretical Study of the Electronic and Transport Properties of Lateral 2D–1D–2D Graphene–CNT–Graphene Structures

The electronic and transport properties of new hybrid 2D–1D–2D structures of carbon atoms, which are graphene sheets continuously connected through a fragment of a single-layer carbon nanotube, frequently observed experimentally, are theoretically studied. The evolution of the electronic properties of such systems with “zigzag” carbon nanotubes of various diameters with chirality indices (14, 0), (15, 0), (16, 0), and (18, 0) is studied using the tight coupling method within electron density functional theory. The calculation of the transmission coefficient demonstrates a strong nonlinearity in the behavior of the transport properties of these structures near the Fermi energy as a function of the diameter of carbon nanotubes, which explains discrepancies in the previously obtained experimental data.

Study of Focusing Effects during the Channeling of Hydrogen Atoms in Non-Chiral Single-Layer Carbon Nanotubes

Study of Focusing Effects during the Channeling of Hydrogen Atoms in Non-Chiral Single-Layer Carbon Nanotubes

Исследование процесса термокаталитического синтеза пропилена из пропана с использованием железосодержащих композиционных углеродных материалов

The development of modern thermocatalytic technologies for processing oil and gas raw materials is one of the promising areas for the advancement of chemical production. New highly efficient catalytic systems with the required technical characteristics and long service life play an essential role in solving these issues. The paper focuses on obtaining propylene by selective propane dehydrogenation. In the course of the experiments, composite iron-containing catalysts were synthesized, in which the active component is iron oxide in combination with an inert carbon matrix. FAS activated carbon and carbon nanotubes were used as the matrix. As a result of the synthesis on the catalyst surface it was possible to obtain catalytic centers that transfer electrons by changing the degree of iron oxidation when converting the starting materials into the target reaction products. Findings of research show that the obtained iron-containing catalysts significantly increase the efficiency of the process in comparison with the efficiency of thermal cracking of propane. Thus, the Fe3+/FAS catalyst showed a conversion rate of the initial reagent of 68 % and a propylene selectivity of about 42 %. Further transition to catalytic systems based on singlelayer and double-layer carbon nanotubes modified with iron oxide (Fe3+/CNTI and Fe3+/CNTII) made it possible to obtain propane conversion up to 37--40 % with a decrease in propylene selectivity to 29--30 %. Studies of the service life of the synthesized catalytic systems and the possibility of their regeneration show that, with account for the regeneration, the activity of the catalysts and the main technical characteristics of the propane-to-propylene cracking process remain unchanged for 10 working cycles

Role of Aryl Amphiphile Hydrophobe Size on the Concentration and Stability of Graphene Nanoplatelet Dispersions.

Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) are stable and relatively inexpensive compared to single-layer graphene sheets and carbon nanotubes and are useful in diverse electronic, optoelectronic, and mechanical applications. Solution-state processing of the active material is desired in most of the applications mentioned above, and thus, there is great interest in increasing the concentration and stability of GNP suspension. Herein, to elucidate the role of the stabilizer structural parameters on the concentration and stability of GNP dispersions, we synthesized and used a series of aryl amphiphiles (ArAs) of varying aryl hydrophobe sizes and geometries. The ArAs were found to generate GNP dispersions with concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 0.13 mg mL–1 depending on the size of the aryl hydrophobe. The ArAs’ hydrophobe size played a key role in determining the concentration of GNP suspension, while ArAs’ critical aggregation concentration and solubility limits had no impact on the GNP suspension concentration. Most of the studied ArAs work similar to methylcellulose, the previously reported best performing stabilizer . Moreover, the ArAs stabilized the GNP suspension better than methylcellulose and were able to form stable dispersions for up to 6 h. Raman studies indicate that the quality of the GNPs did not degrade during the dispersion process. These findings will aid in the development of design rules for next-generation stabilizers.

The Mechanism of Getting New Composite Polymer Materials with Improved Hardness Properties

The main aims and the objectives of the study focused on solving current problems of nanomaterial science of new materials – creating the scientific basis for competitive methods of obtaining and controlling new composite materials having improved strength properties based on carbon-containing polymer matrices with nanotubes stabilized in them. A technology for obtaining experimental samples of nanocompositional polymer material based on polymethylmethacrylate, polybutylmethacrylate, and methacrylic acid doped with carbon nanotubes has been developed, using ultrasonic action and mechanical mixing of the composite mixture to achieve the most uniform distribution of nanotubes in the matrix. To determine the possibility of implementing the mechanism of adsorption interaction of the studied polymer material with the surface of carbon nanotubes, DFT calculations of the interaction of the polymer material component and single-layer carbon nanotubes of various types have been done.

Multilayered Chemically Modified Electrode Based on Carbon Nanotubes Conglutinated by Polydopamine: A New Strategy for the Electrochemical Signal Enhancement for the Determination of Catechol

A new strategy was developed for the construction of a multilayered chemical modified electrode. The electrode was modified with two layers of carbon nanotubes conglutinated by polydopamine embedded with β-cyclodextrin. The practicability of the designed electrode was validated by the determination of catechol as a model molecule. Using the multilayered electrode, the redox peak currents in cyclic voltammetry for catechol were enhanced significantly compared with an electrode modified with single-layer carbon nanotubes. With the amount of added β-cyclodextrin and pH optimized, the peak currents showed good linear relationship with concentrations of catechol in the range from 2.50 × 10−7 to 4.00 × 10−3 mol·L−1 with a detection limit of 4.00 × 10−8 mol·L−1 based on a signal-to-noise ratio equal to three. The recovery values for spiked tap water and lake water were also satisfactory.

Determination of uranium in aqueous solutions by the time-of-flight mass-spectrometry with a pulsed glow discharge after its accumulation on the oxidized carbon nanotubes

The pollution of the environment with uranium dictates the need to control the concentration of this element in natural waters to the permissible limits for the stability of the ecosystems and public health. In 2011, WHO set maximum permissible concentration of uranium in water to 0.03 ppm due to the strong toxicity and radioactivity of uranium in water. Therefore, the continuous monitoring of uranium content is an important task for the safety and health of the citizens. To determine the low uranium content in natural waters, the conservation of the studied solutions is necessary. However, this method of storage and transportation is not always simple. In the current paper, as a convenient method of concentrating uranium, preserving the sample and transporting it, we used the method of sorbing uranium on sorbents. Single-layer carbon nanotubes were used as sorbents. Their surfaces were modified using wet chemical oxidation and synthesis with Aerosil A-380 silica. Two schemes were considered for concentrating the uranium on the surface of the sorbent: individual carbon nanotubes and nanotubes modified with silica. The direct analysis was used to determine the content of uranium in the sorbent, namely, time-of-flight mass spectrometry with the pulsed glow discharge (GDMS). The most effective approach for the determination of uranium in water was the sorption of uranium on the tablet consisting of oxidized nanotubes modified with silica. The limit of detection in this case was 0.2 ppb. Keywords : mass-spectrometry, pulsed glow discharge, environment, direct analysis, uranium, carbon nanotubes DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15826/analitika.2020.24.2.001 T itova A.D 1 , Postnov V.N. 1 , Savinov S.S. 1 , Stolyarova N.V. 2 , Ivanenko N.B. 2 , Chuchina V.A. 1 , Gubal A.R. 1 , Ganeev A.A. 1,2 1 Saint-Petersburg State University (SPBU), Universitetskaya emb., 7/9, Saint-Petersburg, 199034, Russian Federation 2 Institute of Toxicology of Federal Medico-Biological Agency, ul. Bekhtereva, 1, Saint-Petersburg, 192019, Russian Federation

Transparent actuator made by highly-oriented carbon nanotube film for bio-inspired optical systems

Transparent actuators can be used in variable-focus lens, tactical displays and so on. However, previous transparent actuators made with dielectric elastomer mostly required high driving voltages (>1000 V) for actuation. In this work, we propose a new kind of low-voltage-driven transparent actuator, which is made with polymer and single-layer highly-oriented carbon nanotube (HOCNT) film composites, fully utilizing the favorable conductivity and high transparency of HOCNT film. The HOCNT-based transparent actuator shows a transmittance as high as 70%. When applying a voltage of 100 V, the transparent actuator bends visibly with a displacement of 14 mm. The actuation mechanism is a large volume change between polymers when they are Joule-heated by the electrical current. In addition, a solid-state lens based on the transparent actuator is fabricated, which demonstrates an obvious magnification effect with electrical-driven actuation. Finally, a bio-inspired optical system based on the solid-state lens is also constructed, which can mimic the focusing behavior of the human eyeball. The transparent actuator proposed in this work would have potential applications in optical devices, artificial muscles and soft robotics.