Stimulus-driven liquid metal and liquid crystal network actuators for programmable soft robotics.

Journal: Materials horizons
Published Date: Aug 31, 2021

Abstract

Sophisticated soft matter engineering has been endorsed as an emerging paradigm for developing untethered soft robots with built-in electronic functions and biomimetic adaptation capacities. However, the integration of flexible electronic components into soft robotic actuators is challenging due to strain mismatch and material incompatibilities. Herein, we report a general strategy to integrate electrically conductive liquid metals (LMs) and shape-morphing liquid crystal networks (LCNs) towards multifunctional and programmable soft robotics. A unique colloidal LM ink with superior adhesion and photothermal conversion efficiency was judiciously designed and fabricated by ultrasonicating LMs and miniature carboxylated gold nanorods (MiniGNR-COOH) in an aqueous suspension of biological bacterial cellulose. The designed nanocellulose-based colloidal LM ink is used for shape-deformable and electrically conductive LM-LCN soft robots that can be electro- and photo-thermally actuated. As proof-of-concept demonstrations, we present a light-fueled soft oscillator, an inchworm-inspired soft crawler and programmable robotic Shadow Play exhibiting multifunctional controllability. The strategy disclosed here could open up a new technological arena for advanced multifunctional soft materials with potential utility in bioinspired soft machines, integrated soft electronics, human-computer interaction and beyond.

Authors

  • Pengfei Lv
    School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China. lwang17@tju.edu.cn.
  • Xiao Yang
    Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
  • Hari Krishna Bisoyi
    Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute and Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA.
  • Hao Zeng
    European Laboratory for Non Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
  • Xuan Zhang
  • Yuanhao Chen
    School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China. lwang17@tju.edu.cn weifeng@tju.edu.cn.
  • Pan Xue
    School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China. lwang17@tju.edu.cn.
  • Shukuan Shi
    School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China. lwang17@tju.edu.cn.
  • Arri Priimagi
    Laboratory of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 541, FI-33101, Tampere, Finland.
  • Ling Wang
    The State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, #7 Jinsui Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510230, China.
  • Wei Feng
    Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, You'anmenwai, Xitoutiao No.10, Beijing, P. R. China.
  • Quan Li

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