IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v14y2023i1d10.1038_s41467-023-41920-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Reactive wetting enabled anchoring of non-wettable iron oxide in liquid metal for miniature soft robot

Author

Listed:
  • Yifeng Shen

    (Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen))

  • Dongdong Jin

    (Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen))

  • Mingming Fu

    (Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen))

  • Sanhu Liu

    (Harbin Institute of Technology
    Harbin Institute of Technology)

  • Zhiwu Xu

    (Harbin Institute of Technology
    Harbin Institute of Technology)

  • Qinghua Cao

    (Shanghai University of Engineering Science)

  • Bo Wang

    (Shanghai University of Engineering Science)

  • Guoqiang Li

    (Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen))

  • Wenjun Chen

    (Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen))

  • Shaoqin Liu

    (Harbin Institute of Technology)

  • Xing Ma

    (Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen)
    Harbin Institute of Technology
    Harbin Institute of Technology)

Abstract

Magnetic liquid metal (LM) soft robots attract considerable attentions because of distinctive immiscibility, deformability and maneuverability. However, conventional LM composites relying on alloying between LM and metallic magnetic powders suffer from diminished magnetism over time and potential safety risk upon leakage of metallic components. Herein, we report a strategy to composite inert and biocompatible iron oxide (Fe3O4) magnetic nanoparticles into eutectic gallium indium LM via reactive wetting mechanism. To address the intrinsic interfacial non-wettability between Fe3O4 and LM, a silver intermediate layer was introduced to fuse with indium component into AgxIny intermetallic compounds, facilitating the anchoring of Fe3O4 nanoparticles inside LM with improved magnetic stability. Subsequently, a miniature soft robot was constructed to perform various controllable deformation and locomotion behaviors under actuation of external magnetic field. Finally, practical feasibility of applying LM soft robot in an ex vivo porcine stomach was validated under in-situ monitoring by endoscope and X-ray imaging.

Suggested Citation

  • Yifeng Shen & Dongdong Jin & Mingming Fu & Sanhu Liu & Zhiwu Xu & Qinghua Cao & Bo Wang & Guoqiang Li & Wenjun Chen & Shaoqin Liu & Xing Ma, 2023. "Reactive wetting enabled anchoring of non-wettable iron oxide in liquid metal for miniature soft robot," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-41920-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41920-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-41920-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-023-41920-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Daniela Rus & Michael T. Tolley, 2015. "Design, fabrication and control of soft robots," Nature, Nature, vol. 521(7553), pages 467-475, May.
    2. Wenqi Hu & Guo Zhan Lum & Massimo Mastrangeli & Metin Sitti, 2018. "Small-scale soft-bodied robot with multimodal locomotion," Nature, Nature, vol. 554(7690), pages 81-85, February.
    3. Ali Zavabeti & Torben Daeneke & Adam F. Chrimes & Anthony P. O’Mullane & Jian Zhen Ou & Arnan Mitchell & Khashayar Khoshmanesh & Kourosh Kalantar-zadeh, 2016. "Ionic imbalance induced self-propulsion of liquid metals," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-10, November.
    4. Yoonho Kim & Hyunwoo Yuk & Ruike Zhao & Shawn A. Chester & Xuanhe Zhao, 2018. "Printing ferromagnetic domains for untethered fast-transforming soft materials," Nature, Nature, vol. 558(7709), pages 274-279, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wenbo Li & Huyue Chen & Zhiran Yi & Fuyi Fang & Xinyu Guo & Zhiyuan Wu & Qiuhua Gao & Lei Shao & Jian Xu & Guang Meng & Wenming Zhang, 2023. "Self-vectoring electromagnetic soft robots with high operational dimensionality," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Jun Kyu Choe & Junsoo Kim & Hyeonseo Song & Joonbum Bae & Jiyun Kim, 2023. "A soft, self-sensing tensile valve for perceptive soft robots," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Yuxuan Sun & Liu Wang & Yangyang Ni & Huajian Zhang & Xiang Cui & Jiahao Li & Yinbo Zhu & Ji Liu & Shiwu Zhang & Yong Chen & Mujun Li, 2023. "3D printing of thermosets with diverse rheological and functional applicabilities," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    4. Dong Wang & Baowen Zhao & Xinlei Li & Le Dong & Mengjie Zhang & Jiang Zou & Guoying Gu, 2023. "Dexterous electrical-driven soft robots with reconfigurable chiral-lattice foot design," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    5. Baofu Ding & Pengyuan Zeng & Ziyang Huang & Lixin Dai & Tianshu Lan & Hao Xu & Yikun Pan & Yuting Luo & Qiangmin Yu & Hui-Ming Cheng & Bilu Liu, 2022. "A 2D material–based transparent hydrogel with engineerable interference colours," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    6. Van Hiep Nguyen & Saewoong Oh & Manmatha Mahato & Rassoul Tabassian & Hyunjoon Yoo & Seong-Gyu Lee & Mousumi Garai & Kwang Jin Kim & Il-Kwon Oh, 2024. "Functionally antagonistic polyelectrolyte for electro-ionic soft actuator," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    7. Mengmeng Sun & Bo Hao & Shihao Yang & Xin Wang & Carmel Majidi & Li Zhang, 2022. "Exploiting ferrofluidic wetting for miniature soft machines," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-14, December.
    8. Chenghai Li & Qiguang He & Yang Wang & Zhijian Wang & Zijun Wang & Raja Annapooranan & Michael I. Latz & Shengqiang Cai, 2022. "Highly robust and soft biohybrid mechanoluminescence for optical signaling and illumination," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    9. Rasool Nasseri & Negin Bouzari & Junting Huang & Hossein Golzar & Sarah Jankhani & Xiaowu (Shirley) Tang & Tizazu H. Mekonnen & Amirreza Aghakhani & Hamed Shahsavan, 2023. "Programmable nanocomposites of cellulose nanocrystals and zwitterionic hydrogels for soft robotics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    10. Wenbo Liu & Youning Duo & Jiaqi Liu & Feiyang Yuan & Lei Li & Luchen Li & Gang Wang & Bohan Chen & Siqi Wang & Hui Yang & Yuchen Liu & Yanru Mo & Yun Wang & Bin Fang & Fuchun Sun & Xilun Ding & Chi Zh, 2022. "Touchless interactive teaching of soft robots through flexible bimodal sensory interfaces," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-14, December.
    11. Shaojun Jiang & Bo Li & Jun Zhao & Dong Wu & Yiyuan Zhang & Zhipeng Zhao & Yiyuan Zhang & Hao Yu & Kexiang Shao & Cong Zhang & Rui Li & Chao Chen & Zuojun Shen & Jie Hu & Bin Dong & Ling Zhu & Jiawen , 2023. "Magnetic Janus origami robot for cross-scale droplet omni-manipulation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    12. Cisternas, Jaime & Concha, Andrés, 2024. "Searching nontrivial magnetic equilibria using the deflated Newton method," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    13. Qing Li Zhu & Weixuan Liu & Olena Khoruzhenko & Josef Breu & Wei Hong & Qiang Zheng & Zi Liang Wu, 2024. "Animating hydrogel knotbots with topology-invoked self-regulation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    14. Xingxing Ke & Haochen Yong & Fukang Xu & Han Ding & Zhigang Wu, 2024. "Stenus-inspired, swift, and agile untethered insect-scale soft propulsors," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
    15. Zemin Liu & Meng Li & Xiaoguang Dong & Ziyu Ren & Wenqi Hu & Metin Sitti, 2022. "Creating three-dimensional magnetic functional microdevices via molding-integrated direct laser writing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    16. Yuanxi Zhang & Chengfeng Pan & Pengfei Liu & Lelun Peng & Zhouming Liu & Yuanyuan Li & Qingyuan Wang & Tong Wu & Zhe Li & Carmel Majidi & Lelun Jiang, 2023. "Coaxially printed magnetic mechanical electrical hybrid structures with actuation and sensing functionalities," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    17. Liwei Wang & Yilong Chang & Shuai Wu & Ruike Renee Zhao & Wei Chen, 2023. "Physics-aware differentiable design of magnetically actuated kirigami for shape morphing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    18. Yuanhao Chen & Cristian Valenzuela & Xuan Zhang & Xiao Yang & Ling Wang & Wei Feng, 2023. "Light-driven dandelion-inspired microfliers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    19. Shengzhu Yi & Liu Wang & Zhipeng Chen & Jian Wang & Xingyi Song & Pengfei Liu & Yuanxi Zhang & Qingqing Luo & Lelun Peng & Zhigang Wu & Chuan Fei Guo & Lelun Jiang, 2022. "High-throughput fabrication of soft magneto-origami machines," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    20. Shijing Zhang & Yingxiang Liu & Jie Deng & Xiang Gao & Jing Li & Weiyi Wang & Mingxin Xun & Xuefeng Ma & Qingbing Chang & Junkao Liu & Weishan Chen & Jie Zhao, 2023. "Piezo robotic hand for motion manipulation from micro to macro," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-41920-4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.