Issue 3, 2024

Unlocking the potential of self-healing and recyclable ionic elastomers for soft robotics applications

Abstract

In the field of soft robotics, current materials face challenges related to their load capacity, durability, and sustainability. Innovative solutions are required to address these problems beyond conventional strategies, which often lack long-term ecological viability. This study aims to overcome these limitations using mechanically robust, self-healing, and recyclable ionic elastomers based on carboxylated nitrile rubber (XNBR). The designed materials exhibited excellent mechanical properties, including tensile strengths (TS) exceeding 19 MPa and remarkable deformability, with maximum elongations (EB) over 650%. Moreover, these materials showed high self-healing capabilities, with 100% recovery efficiency of TS and EB at 110 °C after 3 to 5 h, and full recyclability, preserving their mechanical performance even after three recycling cycles. Furthermore, they were also moldable and readily scalable. Tendon-driven soft robotic grippers were successfully developed out of ionic elastomers, illustrating the potential of self-healing and recyclability in the field of soft robotics to reduce maintenance costs, increase material durability, and improve sustainability.

Graphical abstract: Unlocking the potential of self-healing and recyclable ionic elastomers for soft robotics applications

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
18 Aug. 2023
Accepted
15 Nov. 2023
First published
17 Nov. 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Mater. Horiz., 2024,11, 708-725

Unlocking the potential of self-healing and recyclable ionic elastomers for soft robotics applications

S. Utrera-Barrios, N. Steenackers, S. Terryn, P. Ferrentino, R. Verdejo, G. Van Asche, M. A. López-Manchado, J. Brancart and M. Hernández Santana, Mater. Horiz., 2024, 11, 708 DOI: 10.1039/D3MH01312J

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