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Walking and rolling of crystals induced thermally by phase transition

Author

Listed:
  • Takuya Taniguchi

    (Waseda University)

  • Haruki Sugiyama

    (Tokyo Institute of Technology)

  • Hidehiro Uekusa

    (Tokyo Institute of Technology)

  • Motoo Shiro

    (Waseda University)

  • Toru Asahi

    (Waseda University
    Waseda University)

  • Hideko Koshima

    (Waseda University)

Abstract

The mechanical motion of materials has been increasingly explored in terms of bending and expansion/contraction. However, the locomotion of materials has been limited. Here, we report walking and rolling locomotion of chiral azobenzene crystals, induced thermally by a reversible single-crystal-to-single-crystal phase transition. Long plate-like crystals with thickness gradient in the longitudinal direction walk slowly, like an inchworm, by repeated bending and straightening under heating and cooling cycles near the transition temperature. Furthermore, thinner, longer plate-like crystals with width gradient roll much faster by tilted bending and then flipping under only one process of heating or cooling. The length of the crystal is shortened above the transition temperature, which induces bending due to the temperature gradient to the thickness direction. The bending motion is necessarily converted to the walking and rolling locomotion due to the unsymmetrical shape of the crystal. This finding of the crystal locomotion can lead to a field of crystal robotics.

Suggested Citation

  • Takuya Taniguchi & Haruki Sugiyama & Hidehiro Uekusa & Motoo Shiro & Toru Asahi & Hideko Koshima, 2018. "Walking and rolling of crystals induced thermally by phase transition," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-8, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-017-02549-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02549-2
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    Cited by:

    1. Saikat Mondal & Pratap Tanari & Samrat Roy & Surojit Bhunia & Rituparno Chowdhury & Arun K. Pal & Ayan Datta & Bipul Pal & C. Malla Reddy, 2023. "Autonomous self-healing organic crystals for nonlinear optics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Mehdi Rohullah & Vuppu Vinay Pradeep & Shruti Singh & Rajadurai Chandrasekar, 2024. "Mechanically controlled multifaceted dynamic transformations in twisted organic crystal waveguides," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Yuki Hagiwara & Shodai Hasebe & Hiroki Fujisawa & Junko Morikawa & Toru Asahi & Hideko Koshima, 2023. "Photothermally induced natural vibration for versatile and high-speed actuation of crystals," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Jiawei Lin & Jianmin Zhou & Liang Li & Ibrahim Tahir & Songgu Wu & Panče Naumov & Junbo Gong, 2024. "Highly efficient in crystallo energy transduction of light to work," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Xuesong Yang & Linfeng Lan & Xiuhong Pan & Qi Di & Xiaokong Liu & Liang Li & Panče Naumov & Hongyu Zhang, 2023. "Bioinspired soft robots based on organic polymer-crystal hybrid materials with response to temperature and humidity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.

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