Flexible actuators have significant potential in intelligent micromachines,artificial muscle,and soft robotics.However,achieving actuators with high actuation performance and feedback sensitivity remains challenging.I...Flexible actuators have significant potential in intelligent micromachines,artificial muscle,and soft robotics.However,achieving actuators with high actuation performance and feedback sensitivity remains challenging.Inspired by the dual“command-execution-feedback”of the mimic octopus,a fiber actuator with high stroke and visual-electronic dual feedback is designed by introducing an ionic liquid conductive network and a visual component of spiropyrane.By constructing a unique interchain slipping structure inside the liquid crystal elastomer(LCE),the nematic to isotropic transition temperature and maximum stroke temperature dropped to 24.29℃and 62.3℃,with decreases of 73.51%and 39.28%,respectively.Besides,the actuation stroke increases to 43.41%with an improvement of 77.11%,and the feedback sensitivity reaches to 69.17,along with a high work capacity of 189.12 kJ/m3.These provide a promising strategy for next-generation flexible actuators capable of high work capacity,large stroke,and real-time feedback.展开更多
The phenomenon of liquid metal“heartbeat”oscillation presents intriguing applications in microfluidic devices,drug delivery,andminiature robotics.However,achieving high vibrational kinetic energy outputs in these sy...The phenomenon of liquid metal“heartbeat”oscillation presents intriguing applications in microfluidic devices,drug delivery,andminiature robotics.However,achieving high vibrational kinetic energy outputs in these systems remains challenging.In this study,we developed a graphite ring electrode with V-shaped inner wall that enables wide-ranging control over the oscillation performance based on droplet size and the height of the V-shape.The mechanism driving the heartbeat is defined as a dynamic process involving the transformation of the oxide layer.Through electrochemical analysis,we confirmed three distinct states of the heartbeat and introduced a novel model to elucidate the role of the V-shaped structure in initiating and halting the oscillations.A comprehensive series of experiments explored how various factors,such as droplet volume,voltage,tilt angle,and V-shape height,affect heartbeat performance,achieving a significant conversion from surface energy to vibrational kinetic energy as high as 4732 J m^(-2) s^(-1).The increase in energy output is attributed to the synergistic effect of the V-shape height and droplet size on the oscillations.These results not only advance our understanding of liquidmetal droplet manipulation but also pave the way for designing high-speed microfluidic pumping systems.展开更多
基金support from the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFB3805803)National Natural Science Foundation of China(52103063)+2 种基金Hubei Natural Science Foundation Project(2023AFB728)Shandong Provincial Science and Technology Department Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Project(2024TSGC0657)Open Project of the Key Laboratory of Textile Fibers and Products,Ministry of Education(Fzxw2024012).
文摘Flexible actuators have significant potential in intelligent micromachines,artificial muscle,and soft robotics.However,achieving actuators with high actuation performance and feedback sensitivity remains challenging.Inspired by the dual“command-execution-feedback”of the mimic octopus,a fiber actuator with high stroke and visual-electronic dual feedback is designed by introducing an ionic liquid conductive network and a visual component of spiropyrane.By constructing a unique interchain slipping structure inside the liquid crystal elastomer(LCE),the nematic to isotropic transition temperature and maximum stroke temperature dropped to 24.29℃and 62.3℃,with decreases of 73.51%and 39.28%,respectively.Besides,the actuation stroke increases to 43.41%with an improvement of 77.11%,and the feedback sensitivity reaches to 69.17,along with a high work capacity of 189.12 kJ/m3.These provide a promising strategy for next-generation flexible actuators capable of high work capacity,large stroke,and real-time feedback.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Number:51901009。
文摘The phenomenon of liquid metal“heartbeat”oscillation presents intriguing applications in microfluidic devices,drug delivery,andminiature robotics.However,achieving high vibrational kinetic energy outputs in these systems remains challenging.In this study,we developed a graphite ring electrode with V-shaped inner wall that enables wide-ranging control over the oscillation performance based on droplet size and the height of the V-shape.The mechanism driving the heartbeat is defined as a dynamic process involving the transformation of the oxide layer.Through electrochemical analysis,we confirmed three distinct states of the heartbeat and introduced a novel model to elucidate the role of the V-shaped structure in initiating and halting the oscillations.A comprehensive series of experiments explored how various factors,such as droplet volume,voltage,tilt angle,and V-shape height,affect heartbeat performance,achieving a significant conversion from surface energy to vibrational kinetic energy as high as 4732 J m^(-2) s^(-1).The increase in energy output is attributed to the synergistic effect of the V-shape height and droplet size on the oscillations.These results not only advance our understanding of liquidmetal droplet manipulation but also pave the way for designing high-speed microfluidic pumping systems.
