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Smart soft material

06.03.2021

Engineers at China's Southeast University have printed liquid metal circuits on a single piece of soft polymer, creating a smart material that twists under pressure or mechanical stress.

Ideally, soft robots could mimic the intelligent and autonomous behaviors of nature — such as the sudden collapse of a Venus flytrap plant — by combining sensation and controlled movement. But technically, this can be difficult to accomplish: it is necessary to build sensors and moving parts into the robot, use an external computer. A one-piece design is required that responds to environmental stimuli such as mechanical pressure or stretch.

Liquid metals could be a solution, and some scientists have already explored their use in soft robots. These materials can be used to create thin, flexible circuits in soft materials, and these circuits can quickly release heat when an electric current is generated—either from an electric current source or from pressure applied to the circuit. As the soft circuits stretch, the current drops, cooling the material.

To make the soft robot capable of autonomous, intelligent movement, a team of Chinese scientists wanted to combine liquid metal circuits with liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs), polymers that can undergo large changes in shape when heated or cooled.

The researchers applied an alloy of gallium and indium with nickel to the LCE and used a magnetic field to move the liquid metal along the lines to form a continuous circuit. Silicone sealant that changes color from pink to deep red when heated provides protection and durability to the chain. Under the influence of the current, the soft material curled as the temperature increased, and the film became redder over time.

The team used the material to develop self-contained grippers that responded to pressure or stretch applied to contours. These fixtures can grip small round objects and then lower them when the pressure is released or the material is stretched. Finally, the researchers shaped the film into a spiral shape. When pressure was applied to the circuit at the bottom of the helix, it unrolled as the temperature of the helix increased.

The researchers say these pressure- and stretch-sensitive materials could be used in soft robots that perform complex tasks.

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