A Dual-Responsive Magnetoactive and Electro-Ionic Soft Actuator Derived from a Nickel-Based Metal-Organic Framework

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Robotics
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Growing demand for multiresponsive soft actuators in robotics for natural and safe interactions.
• Need for soft actuators with simultaneous electrical and magnetic field stimulation for enhanced controllability and reliability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report novel magnetically and electrically driven dual-responsive soft actuators (MESAs).
• To utilize nanoscale nickel-based metal-organic frameworks (Ni-MOFs-700C) as a multifunctional material for magnetoactive and electro-ionic actuations.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of dual-responsive soft actuators using novel nickel-based metal-organic frameworks (Ni-MOFs-700C).
• Characterization of Ni-MOFs-700C for electrochemical and magnetic properties.
• Testing MESA performance under combined magnetic and electrical stimuli.

Main Results:

• The dual-responsive MESA achieved a bending displacement of 30 mm with a 1.5 s rising time under 1 V input voltage.
• The MESA demonstrated a bending deflection of 12.5 mm at 50 mT and 5 Hz excitation frequency.
• Successful demonstration of a hovering hummingbird robot motion using the dual-responsive MESA under magnetic and electrical stimuli.

Conclusions:

• Nickel-based metal-organic frameworks (Ni-MOFs-700C) are effective multifunctional materials for dual-responsive soft actuators.
• The developed MESAs offer excellent performance in terms of displacement, response time, and frequency.
• This technology enables advanced robotic applications, such as biomimetic hovering motions.