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High Performance Amphibious Light-Driven Soft Actuators Realized by Biomimetic Superhydrophobic Micropillars
Chenchu Zhang1, Fating Liu1, Jie Zhao1
1Anhui Province Key Lab of Aerospace Structural Parts Forming Technology and Equipment, School of Mechanical Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China.
Nano Letters
|July 17, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed laser-fabricated superhydrophobic microstructures for millimeter-scale soft robots. These microstructures enable efficient amphibious motion, significantly boosting crawling and swimming speeds for enhanced soft robotics applications.
Area of Science:
- Soft robotics
- Microfabrication
- Surface science
Background:
- Light-driven soft actuators offer remote control and environmental adaptability.
- Achieving amphibious motion in small-scale actuators is difficult due to fabrication challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop millimeter-scale light-driven soft actuators with amphibious capabilities.
- To enhance land and water locomotion performance using novel microstructures.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of tilted superhydrophobic micropillar structures using femtosecond laser.
- Integration of these microstructures into soft actuator designs.
- Characterization of locomotion on land and water surfaces.
Main Results:
- The microstructures enhanced land friction differentials and induced aquatic Marangoni effects.
- Inchworm-like crawling and water strider-like swimming were achieved.
- Crawling speed increased by ~100% and swimming speed by ~60% compared to actuators without microstructures.
Conclusions:
- Femtosecond-laser-fabricated superhydrophobic microstructures enable efficient amphibious motion in soft actuators.
- The proposed method is simple, non-damaging, and enhances locomotion performance.
- This strategy shows significant potential for amphibious soft robot applications.
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