New lightweight, thin film-based vacuum pump could replace bulky motors

Mar 15, 2025

They have designed small pumps and valves that work without motors or lubricants.

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Mrigakshi Dixit

The research team is showcasing its latest vacuum pump prototype at this year's Hannover Messe.

Oliver Dietze

German researchers at Saarland University and the Center for Mechatronics and Automation Technology (ZeMA) are working to advance vacuum technology.

They have designed small pumps and valves that work without motors or lubricants.

The motion of dielectric elastomeric silicone films is what makes these devices lightweight, compact, and able to utilize low energy.

Interestingly, the film-based vacuum pump is “able to pull a vacuum down to 300 millibars of pressure (30% of standard atmospheric pressure).”

“Our technology is cost-effective to manufacture. And because the components are lightweight we save space and weight, meaning that the pumps and valves we’re developing are much more energy efficient than equivalent devices that use conventional technology,” said Paul Motzki, one of the lead developers.

“Compared with a commercially available pneumatic solenoid valve, i.e. one driven by an electromagnet, we can drive the same valve using 400 times less energy,’ Motzki added.

Vacuum technology is widely used in myriad areas, from home vacuum sealers and car brakes to applications in medicine, food processing, and industrial automation.

Typically, these applications rely on motor-driven vacuum pumps. The standard pumps suffer from drawbacks like high energy consumption, large size, noise, and the need for regular maintenance and lubrication.

The new pumps and valves solve these existing issues. These devices operate based on the movement of thin silicone films, which requires only a small electrical voltage. By controlling the voltage, the motion can be controlled.

The core of the technology is an extremely thin (1/20th of a millimeter) silicone film with electrically conductive layers. Applying voltage to this “dielectric elastomer” causes the layers to attract, compressing the film and expanding it sideways.

“We’re using these dielectric elastomers to develop novel drive systems that do not need to be equipped with additional sensors,” said Motzki.

Using the controllable movement of dielectric elastomer actuators, the research team has developed various devices: motorless vacuum pumps, precision liquid valves, and stepless switches.

The film’s movement is precisely monitored through changes in electrical capacitance. Each deformation corresponds to a unique capacitance value.

This data, combined with AI-driven machine learning, enables the development of a control system that predicts, programs, and precisely controls the film’s deformation.

And here’s the magic: these films are self-sensing. “These dielectric elastomer films are self-sensing and are able to act as their own position sensors,” he added in the press release.

The capacitance data from the film-based pumps and valves provides built-in diagnostics, detecting issues like insufficient vacuum or blockages. This self-sensing capability allows for efficient condition monitoring and simplifies troubleshooting compared to conventional systems.

“Our technology is scalable. We can increase the pressure and volume flow by connecting our actuators and pump chambers either in parallel, in series or a combination of both,” added Motzki.

The prototype film-based vacuum pump will be exhibited at Hannover Messe from 31 March to 4 April.

To demonstrate their technology, the researchers created a bell jar exhibit. The dielectric elastomer film creates a vacuum, which causes a balloon inside to expand as the surrounding air pressure drops.

Mrigakshi Dixit Mrigakshi is a science journalist who enjoys writing about space exploration, biology, and technological innovations. Her work has been featured in well-known publications including Nature India, Supercluster, The Weather Channel and Astronomy magazine. If you have pitches in mind, please do not hesitate to email her.

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