. Researchers at the National Taiwan University today reported that artificial muscles are created by using gold-plated onions. The onion version is more flexible than previous artificial muscle attempts. It can contract, stretch, and contract depending on how much voltage was applied. Professor Wen Pin Shih, co-lead researcher said that the initial goal of the project was to create an engineered microstructure for artificial muscles to increase the actuationdeformation . The researchers were able to grab a cotton ball using the onion tweezer. Image: aip.org. “One day we discovered that the onion’s cell structure was similar to the one we were making.” Below the onion’s skin, there is an extremely thin layer of cells called the epidermis. These are tightly packed lattices that contain a lot of blocksy cells. Artificial muscle that contracts and stretches while bent Prof. Shih, along with his colleagues, wondered if onion epidermal cells could be a good candidate for creating an easier muscle that can contract or stretch while being bent. The researchers said that artificial muscles can bend and contract but they cannot do both simultaneously. Professor Shih’s team used acid to destroy hemicellulose in the onions epidermal cells. This protein makes cell walls stiff. The gold was then applied to both the onion layers. The onion cells flexed and bent when they were exposed to an electric current. This was similar to how muscles work. Professor Shih stated that they intentionally made both the top and bottom electrodes thicker so the onion cells would bend and stretch like muscles. Professor Shih stated that “the single-layer lattice structure could generate unique actuation mechanisms that engineered artificial muscles has never achieved before.” The scientists created a pair of tweezers from two onions to demonstrate its utility. They used the tweezers to grab a piece of cotton. Their artificial muscles will be more powerful, they hope. Shih said, “Our next steps are to decrease the driving voltage as well as the actuating power.” Citation: “Onion artificial muscle,” Chien Chen, Wen Pin Shih, PeiZen Chang. Hsi–Mei Lai. Shing-Yun Chang. Pin-Chun Huang. HuaiAn Jeng. Applied Physics Letter. DIO: 10.1063/1.4917498. 2015. Published May 5,
