Issue 22, 2024

Minimally designed thermo-magnetic dual responsive soft robots for complex applications

Abstract

The fabrication of thermo-magnetic dual-responsive soft robots often requires intricate designs to implement complex locomotion patterns and utilize the implemented responsive behaviors. This work demonstrates a minimally designed soft robot based on poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (pNIPAM) and ferromagnetic particles, showcasing excellent control over both thermo- and magnetic responses. Free radical polymerization enables the magnetic particles to be entrapped homogeneously within the polymeric network. The integration of magnetic shape programming and temperature response allows the robot to perform various tasks including shaping, locomotion, pick-and-place, and release maneuvers of objects using independent triggers. The robot can be immobilized in a gripping state through magnetic actuation, and a subsequent increase in temperature transitions the robot from a swollen to a collapsed state. The temperature switch enables the robot to maintain a secured configuration while executing other movements via magnetic actuation. This approach offers a straightforward yet effective solution for achieving full control over both stimuli in dual-responsive soft robotics.

Graphical abstract: Minimally designed thermo-magnetic dual responsive soft robots for complex applications

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
30 Nov 2023
Accepted
28 Mar 2024
First published
28 Mar 2024
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2024,12, 5339-5349

Minimally designed thermo-magnetic dual responsive soft robots for complex applications

C. Siebenmorgen, C. Wang, L. B. Navarro, D. Parisi, S. Misra, V. K. Venkiteswaran and P. van Rijn, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2024, 12, 5339 DOI: 10.1039/D3TB02839A

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