Authors:	Fusi, Giorgio Del Giudice, Daniele Skarsetz, Oliver Di Stefano, Stefano Walther, Andreas
Title:	Autonomous soft robots empowered by chemical reaction networks
Online publication date:	19-Feb-2024
Year of first publication:	2022
Language:	english
Abstract:	Hydrogel actuators are important for designing stimuli-sensitive soft robots. They generate mechanical motion by exploiting compartmentalized (de)swelling in response to a stimulus. However, classical switching methods, such as manually lowering or increasing the pH, cannot provide more complex autonomous motions. By coupling an autonomously operating pH-flip with programmable lifetimes to a hydrogel system containing pH-responsive and non-responsive compartments, autoonenomous forward and backward motion as well as more complex tasks, such as interlocking of “puzzle pieces” and collection of objects are realized. All operations are initiated by one simple trigger, and the devices operate in a “fire and forget” mode. More complex self-regulatory behavior is obtained by adding chemo-mechano-chemo feedback mechanisms. Due to its simplicity, this method shows great potential for the autonomous operation of soft grippers and metamaterials.
DDC:	540 Chemie 540 Chemistry and allied sciences
Institution:	Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
Department:	FB 09 Chemie, Pharmazie u. Geowissensch.
Place:	Mainz
ROR:	https://ror.org/023b0x485
DOI:	http://doi.org/10.25358/openscience-10102
Version:	Published version
Publication type:	Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Document type specification:	Scientific article
License:	CC BY-NC
Information on rights of use:	https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Journal:	Advanced materials 35 7
Pages or article number:	202209870
Publisher:	Wiley
Publisher place:	Weinheim
Issue date:	2022
ISSN:	1521-4095
Publisher DOI:	10.1002/adma.202209870
Appears in collections:	DFG-491381577-H