Researcher Nanomolecular Actuation for a new Generation of Artificial Muscles

Nowadays, the development of "artificial muscles" is in full swing because this technology will allow significant progress in areas as important as robotics and medicine. The project proposes to create nanocomposite materials for a new generation of artificial muscles based on spin crossover iron coordination complexes. Through an innovative combination of molecular, colloidal and polymer engineering, these new materials will be endowed with electrical actuation, motion generation and self-sensing properties, which will be a major scientific breakthrough. Indeed, the major leap from molecular switches to macroscopic machines relies on the idea of assembling a large number of molecules or nano-objects that act in unison.

This will be achieved through long range spatial ordering in between active nano-objects and polymers leading to synergistic composite materials. Adequate design of the physicochemical architecture will be necessary to enable the transmission and amplification of the molecular motion for the final use of these materials within artificial muscles. The project will move towards the design of "contractile tissues" based on these smart nanomaterials to mimic simple muscular patterns, a prerequisite before embarking on the future realization of "soft robots".

This ambitious and multidisciplinary project should allow, in the long term, a significant jump in the state of the art and the societal exploitation of these new actuator technologies. The recruited person will focus on the realization of actuator devices based on spin transition materials and the analysis of their electromechanical properties.

Development of a new type of artificial muscle based on a spin transition et putting into work of a micro-robot actuated by such artificial muscles.

The work will be made both in the "white room" of the LAAS for the artificial muscle sampels development and both in the LCC/CNRS laboratory specialized in the devlopment of so-called molecular artificial muscles

- Molecular chemistry
- Development of an experimental site
- Development of a micro-robotics structure considered as a proof of concept
- Coworking with specialists in robotic development and control