Janus Soft Actuators with On-Off Switchable Behaviors for Controllable Manipulation Driven by Oil

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Robotics
• Surface Chemistry

Background:

• Soft actuators are crucial for diverse applications, with ongoing research focused on facile preparation, rapid actuation, and versatile actions.
• Developing novel soft actuators with tunable properties remains a key challenge in the field.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a facile method for preparing Janus actuators driven by oil.
• To demonstrate the versatility of these actuators in various soft devices.
• To explore the stimuli-responsive behaviors of Janus actuators with differing surface wettabilities.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a Janus film with superhydrophobic and hydrophobic sides using laser etching and mechanical cutting.
• Demonstration of oil-driven soft devices by precise cutting of the functional layer.
• Investigation of swelling behaviors and surface extensions in response to different media and wettabilities.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of a Janus film with distinct superhydrophobic and hydrophobic surfaces.
• Demonstration of multiple soft devices, including those with on-off switchability between oil/water mixtures and ethanol.
• Observation of differential swelling and surface extension based on surface wettability and the medium used.

Conclusions:

• The developed Janus actuators are promising candidates for advanced soft actuator applications.
• The study provides novel insights into designing oil-driven soft actuators with human-finger-like manipulation capabilities.
• This work extends the application of stimuli-responsive materials in soft robotics.