Bioinspired Soft Microactuators

Zhu, Pingan; Chen, Rifei; Zhou, Chunmei; Aizenberg, Michael; Aizenberg, Joanna; Wang, Liqiu

doi:10.1002/adma.202008558

Bioinspired Soft Microactuators

Journal Article · Fri Apr 16 00:00:00 EDT 2021 · Advanced Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202008558· OSTI ID:1777680

^[1]; Chen, Rifei ^[2]; Zhou, Chunmei ^[3]; Aizenberg, Michael ^[4]; Aizenberg, Joanna ^[5]; Wang, Liqiu ^[3]

Department of Mechanical Engineering The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong 999077 China, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Harvard University Cambridge MA 02138 USA, HKU‐Zhejiang Institute of Research and Innovation (HKU‐ZIRI) Hangzhou Zhejiang 311300 China
Department of Mechanical Engineering The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong 999077 China, Department of Materials Science and Engineering Southern University of Science and Technology Shenzhen 518055 China
Department of Mechanical Engineering The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong 999077 China, HKU‐Zhejiang Institute of Research and Innovation (HKU‐ZIRI) Hangzhou Zhejiang 311300 China
John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Harvard University Cambridge MA 02138 USA
John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Harvard University Cambridge MA 02138 USA, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology Harvard University Cambridge MA 02138 USA

Abstract

Soft actuators have the potential of revolutionizing the field of robotics. However, it has been a long‐standing challenge to achieve simultaneously: i) miniaturization of soft actuators, ii) high contrast between materials properties at their “on” and “off” states, iii) significant actuation for high‐payload mechanical work, and iv) ability to perform diverse shape transformations. This challenge is addressed by synergistically utilizing structural concepts found in the dermis of sea cucumbers and the tendrils of climbing plants, together with microfluidic fabrication to create diatomite‐laden hygroscopically responsive fibers with a discontinuous ribbon of stiff, asymmetrically shaped, and hygroscopically inactive microparticles embedded inside. The microactuators can undergo various deformations and have very high property contrast ratios (20–850 for various mechanical characteristics of interest) between hydrated and dehydrated states. The resulting energy density, actuation strain, and actuation stress are shown to exceed those of natural muscle by ≈4, >2, and >30 times, respectively, and their weight‐lifting ratio is 2–3 orders of magnitude higher than the value of recent hygroscopic actuators. This work offers a new and general way to design and fabricate next‐generation soft microactuators, and thus advances the field of soft robotics by tailoring the structure and properties of deformable elements to suit a desired application.

View Accepted Manuscript (Publisher)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: NONE; SC0005247

OSTI ID:: 1777680

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1850903

Journal Information:: Advanced Materials, Journal Name: Advanced Materials Journal Issue: 21 Vol. 33; ISSN 0935-9648

Publisher:: Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: Germany

Language:: English

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