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...
“…Intelligent devices integrated with smart materials which can convert environmental stimuli ( e.g. , heat, 1,2 light, 3 electric fields, 4 magnetic fields, 5 and moisture 6 ) into shape deformations or mechanical motions have attracted widespread attention in the fields of motors, 7 sensors, 8–11 soft robots 12 and artificial muscles. 13 Among these various types of actuating schemes, light-driven strategies based on photothermal effects are most fascinating because they can be manipulated using a variety of light sources to enable localized actuation, remote control, etc.…”
A facile strategy was proposed to prepare intrinsically-photoresponsive elastomer that simultaneously exhibited excellent mechanical toughness, stability and photoresponse. Some high-definition biomechanical applications were successfully demonstrated.
“…Intelligent devices integrated with smart materials which can convert environmental stimuli ( e.g. , heat, 1,2 light, 3 electric fields, 4 magnetic fields, 5 and moisture 6 ) into shape deformations or mechanical motions have attracted widespread attention in the fields of motors, 7 sensors, 8–11 soft robots 12 and artificial muscles. 13 Among these various types of actuating schemes, light-driven strategies based on photothermal effects are most fascinating because they can be manipulated using a variety of light sources to enable localized actuation, remote control, etc.…”
A facile strategy was proposed to prepare intrinsically-photoresponsive elastomer that simultaneously exhibited excellent mechanical toughness, stability and photoresponse. Some high-definition biomechanical applications were successfully demonstrated.
“…Besides the above thermal/photo-actuation functionalities [46,47], the LM-LCE material exhibited good self-healing capability under mild conditions. For the traditional LCE materials based on dynamic chemical bonds, the complete healing usually requires high temperature [48][49][50], which is apparently not suitable for real industrial applications.…”
The low crosslink density characteristic of liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) materials causes poor fatigue resistance performance, which has seriously plagued their prospects in industrial applications. Here we report that the introduction of 5 wt% liquid metal nanodroplets (average diameter: ca. 195 nm) into the LCE network can dramatically reinforce the corresponding composite's mechanical properties, in particular ultrahigh fatigue resistance, capable of bearing unprecedented 10,000 tensile cycles within a large range of strain amplitude up to 70% and 2000 times of continuous actuating deformations. Furthermore, this liquid metal-incorporated LCE composite material exhibits large actuation stroke (maximum actuation strain: 55%), high actuation stress (blocking stress: 1.13 MPa), fully reversible thermal/photo-actuation functions, and self-healing ability at moderate temperatures, which qualifies the composite material for high-load actuators.
“…(D, E) A demonstration of programmed caterpillar‐like actuation from LM‐LCE using near‐infrared light and an accompanying visual diagram. Reproduced with permission, 132 copyright 2021, The Royal Society of Chemistry. (F) Photographs of 4D printed LMPC picking up a ball through shape morphing around it.…”
Section: Functional Propertiesmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Lately, work has expanded the actuation method beyond electrothermal to photothermal as well, utilizing near-infrared (NIR) light to irradiate and induce thermal responses in LCE-LM polymer composites. 132 To harness the photothermal potential of NIR, miniature carboxylated gold nanorods were added in conjunction with biological nanocellulose to a sonicated solution of LM in solvent. After further sonication, the mixture could be centrifuged and deposited as a thin film onto an LCE.…”
Liquid metal polymer composites are an emerging class of functional materials with potentially transformative impacts in wearable electronics, soft robotics, and human-computer interactions. By employing different processing methods, room temperature liquid metal inclusions can be embedded in insulating polymers like elastomers to incorporate functional properties of metals while the matrix remains soft and stretchable. These solid-liquid composites offer an interesting, yet complex multifunctional material system. In this review, we present an exclusive overview of the synthesis methods, structural and functional properties, and applications of gallium-based liquid metal polymer composites. Common methods to control the size of liquid metal inclusions and their interaction in polymers are discussed. Moreover, the effect of liquid metal microstructures on the overall properties of the composites is summarized. We also highlight the new trends in terms of material composition, printing process, and novel applications of liquid metal polymer composites in intelligent systems.
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