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Stable Liquid-Metal-Based Magnetic Droplet Robot Enabled by ATRP-Grafted PMMA on Cobalt Ferrite Particles
Yuzhen Dong1, Jingwu Zhao1, Yang Lv1
1School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Weihai, 2 West Wenhua Road, Weihai 264209, China.
ACS Omega
|June 29, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed a new liquid-metal magnetic robot using a protective PMMA layer to prevent performance loss. This innovation enables robust locomotion, cargo transport, and circuit repair for advanced applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Robotics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Liquid-metal-based magnetic droplet robots offer advantages like noncontact operation and high maneuverability.
- Alloying between liquid metal and magnetic particles degrades robot performance over time.
- Interfacial nonwettability also hinders the stability and functionality of these robots.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a strategy to prevent alloying and improve interfacial wettability in liquid-metal magnetic robots.
- To enhance the long-term magnetic performance and durability of these robots.
- To demonstrate the robot's capabilities in locomotion, cargo transport, and circuit repair.
Main Methods:
- Coating magnetic particles with a poly-(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) layer using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP).
- Fabricating liquid-metal-based magnetic droplet robots using the modified magnetic particles.
- Testing robot performance in locomotion, cargo transport, and circuit switching/repair under external magnetic fields.
Main Results:
- The PMMA coating effectively prevented alloying between liquid metal and magnetic particles.
- The modified robots demonstrated rapid locomotion and targeted cargo transport in complex environments.
- The liquid-metal magnetic droplet robots successfully performed reversible circuit switching and long-term circuit repair.
Conclusions:
- A novel methodology for fabricating stable liquid-metal-magnetic particle composites was established.
- The developed droplet robots exhibit enhanced performance and durability, addressing key limitations of previous designs.
- These advanced robots show significant promise for applications in biomedical engineering, electronics, and other fields.
