IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v14y2023i1d10.1038_s41467-023-43576-6.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

High speed underwater hydrogel robots with programmable motions powered by light

Author

Listed:
  • Chujun Ni

    (Zhejiang University)

  • Di Chen

    (Zhejiang University)

  • Xin Wen

    (Zhejiang University)

  • Binjie Jin

    (Zhejiang University)

  • Yi He

    (Zhejiang University)

  • Tao Xie

    (Zhejiang University
    Zhejiang University)

  • Qian Zhao

    (Zhejiang University
    Zhejiang University)

Abstract

Stimuli-responsive shape-changing hydrogels are attractive candidates for use as underwater soft robots. The bottleneck lies in the low actuation speed inherently limited by the water diffusion between hydrogels and their surrounding environment. In addition, accessing complex motions is restricted by the material fabrication methods. Here we report a hitherto unknown mechanism to achieve high-speed and programmable actuations for a disulfide crosslinked thermally responsive hydrogel. The dynamic photo-activated disulfide bond exchange allows photo-mechanical programming to introduce spatio-selective network anisotropy. This gives rise to an actuation behavior dominated by thermally driven conformation change of the locally oriented polymer chains instead of the common mass-diffusion-based mechanism. With the incorporation of photothermal fillers, light-powered oscillation at frequencies as high as 1.7 Hz is realized. This, coupled with the versatility of the programming, allows access to robots with diverse high-speed motions including continuous swimming, step-wise walking, and rotating.

Suggested Citation

  • Chujun Ni & Di Chen & Xin Wen & Binjie Jin & Yi He & Tao Xie & Qian Zhao, 2023. "High speed underwater hydrogel robots with programmable motions powered by light," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-43576-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43576-6
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-43576-6
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-023-43576-6?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. Yue Zhang & Kangkang Liu & Tao Liu & Chujun Ni & Di Chen & Jiamei Guo & Chang Liu & Jian Zhou & Zheng Jia & Qian Zhao & Pengju Pan & Tao Xie, 2021. "Differential diffusion driven far-from-equilibrium shape-shifting of hydrogels," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Guorui Li & Xiangping Chen & Fanghao Zhou & Yiming Liang & Youhua Xiao & Xunuo Cao & Zhen Zhang & Mingqi Zhang & Baosheng Wu & Shunyu Yin & Yi Xu & Hongbo Fan & Zheng Chen & Wei Song & Wenjing Yang & , 2021. "Self-powered soft robot in the Mariana Trench," Nature, Nature, vol. 591(7848), pages 66-71, March.
    3. Zi Liang Wu & Michael Moshe & Jesse Greener & Heloise Therien-Aubin & Zhihong Nie & Eran Sharon & Eugenia Kumacheva, 2013. "Three-dimensional shape transformations of hydrogel sheets induced by small-scale modulation of internal stresses," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 4(1), pages 1-7, June.
    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. Yue Zhang & Kangkang Liu & Tao Liu & Chujun Ni & Di Chen & Jiamei Guo & Chang Liu & Jian Zhou & Zheng Jia & Qian Zhao & Pengju Pan & Tao Xie, 2021. "Differential diffusion driven far-from-equilibrium shape-shifting of hydrogels," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Siqi An & Xiaowen Li & Zengrong Guo & Yi Huang & Yanlin Zhang & Hanqing Jiang, 2024. "Energy-efficient dynamic 3D metasurfaces via spatiotemporal jamming interleaved assemblies for tactile interfaces," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. Chen, Weixing & Zhou, Boen & Huang, Hao & Lu, Yunfei & Li, Shaoxun & Gao, Feng, 2022. "Design, modeling and performance analysis of a deployable WEC for ocean robots," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 327(C).
    6. Jianjian Huang & Xiaodie Zhang & Ruixue Liu & Yonghui Ding & Dongjie Guo, 2023. "Polyvinyl chloride-based dielectric elastomer with high permittivity and low viscoelasticity for actuation and sensing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    7. 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.
    8. Xinchen Ni & Haiwen Luan & Jin-Tae Kim & Sam I. Rogge & Yun Bai & Jean Won Kwak & Shangliangzi Liu & Da Som Yang & Shuo Li & Shupeng Li & Zhengwei Li & Yamin Zhang & Changsheng Wu & Xiaoyue Ni & Yongg, 2022. "Soft shape-programmable surfaces by fast electromagnetic actuation of liquid metal networks," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    9. Guoyong Mao & David Schiller & Doris Danninger & Bekele Hailegnaw & Florian Hartmann & Thomas Stockinger & Michael Drack & Nikita Arnold & Martin Kaltenbrunner, 2022. "Ultrafast small-scale soft electromagnetic robots," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    10. 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.
    11. 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.
    12. Wenwen Feng & Lin Sun & Zhekai Jin & Lili Chen & Yuncong Liu & Hao Xu & Chao Wang, 2024. "A large-strain and ultrahigh energy density dielectric elastomer for fast moving soft robot," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    13. Sukyoung Won & Hee Eun Lee & Young Shik Cho & Kijun Yang & Jeong Eun Park & Seung Jae Yang & Jeong Jae Wie, 2022. "Multimodal collective swimming of magnetically articulated modular nanocomposite robots," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    14. Junghwan Byun & Aniket Pal & Jongkuk Ko & Metin Sitti, 2024. "Integrated mechanical computing for autonomous soft machines," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    15. Haitao Yang & Shuo Ding & Jiahao Wang & Shuo Sun & Ruphan Swaminathan & Serene Wen Ling Ng & Xinglong Pan & Ghim Wei Ho, 2024. "Computational design of ultra-robust strain sensors for soft robot perception and autonomy," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    16. Kexin Guo & Xuehan Yang & Chao Zhou & Chuang Li, 2024. "Self-regulated reversal deformation and locomotion of structurally homogenous hydrogels subjected to constant light illumination," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    17. 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.
    18. Liang Yue & Xiaohao Sun & Luxia Yu & Mingzhe Li & S. Macrae Montgomery & Yuyang Song & Tsuyoshi Nomura & Masato Tanaka & H. Jerry Qi, 2023. "Cold-programmed shape-morphing structures based on grayscale digital light processing 4D printing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    19. Yeongju Jung & Kangkyu Kwon & Jinwoo Lee & Seung Hwan Ko, 2024. "Untethered soft actuators for soft standalone robotics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-19, December.
    20. Rong Wang & Chao Yuan & Jianxiang Cheng & Xiangnan He & Haitao Ye & Bingcong Jian & Honggeng Li & Jiaming Bai & Qi Ge, 2024. "Direct 4D printing of ceramics driven by hydrogel dehydration," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, 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_s41467-023-43576-6. 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.