Background
Cedric Plesse obtained his Ph.D. (2004) in macromolecular chemistry at the University of Cergy-Pontoise (France) for which he received the 2005 French Ph.D. Prize by the Groupe Français des Polymères (GFP). From 2004 to 2006, he joined the University of Laval (Canada) as postdoctoral researcher to develop optical and electrochemical biosensors based on conjugated polymers. In 2006, he is recruited as assistant professor at the Laboratory of Physicochemistry of Polymers and Interfaces (LPPI) at the University of Cergy-Pontoise (France). He defended his habilitation (HDR) in 2014 and was promoted full professor at CY Cergy Paris University in 2021. Since 2025, he is director of the LPPI. His current research interests are the elaboration of self-healing materials, soft electroactive actuators, piezoionic sensors, electroactive textiles, and bioelectronics.
Title
Active Fibers for Soft Robotics: Biofriendly CNT Yarn Muscles from Actuation to Sensing
Abstract
Soft and wearable robotic systems call for actuators that combine muscle-like compliance with lightweight architectures, low-voltage operation, and compatibility with the human body. Coiled carbon nanotube (CNT) yarns are attractive building blocks for such systems, converting ion-induced volume changes at the CNT/electrolyte interface into reversible linear contraction.
In this talk, we will present our recent progress in engineering the ionic environment of coiled CNT yarns to transform these one-dimensional materials into air-operating artificial muscles. In particular, ion-selective polymer coatings enable control over ion transport and cooperative, unipolar contraction of paired CNT yarn electrodes. Moving from conventional ionic liquids toward biofriendly choline-based electrolytes and deep eutectic solvents embedded in polymer gels provides a route toward safer and more sustainable devices while retaining operation in ambient conditions.
Beyond the actuator itself, the fiber geometry offers a natural pathway toward integration into fabrics and compliant structures. We will show how these artificial muscles can be incorporated into textiles and how the same electrochemical architecture can also transduce mechanical deformation into an electrical signal, enabling self-powered strain sensing. These results illustrate how coupling active fibers with tailored ion-conducting materials can provide multifunctional building blocks for smart textiles, wearable devices, and adaptive soft robotic systems.