Crawling Soft Robotic Locomotion via Asymmetric Temperature Distribution on Paper-Based Electrodes

초록

Asymmetric bending enables rapid and efficient crawling motions in a soft robotic system. However, achieving asymmetric motion in soft robots with temperature-responsive liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) necessitates complex Joule heating configurations or precise temperature regulation. Herein, a simple electroless plating method is presented for patterning asymmetric temperature gradients on paper substrates, thereby facilitating the development of Joule heating, caterpillar-inspired soft robots. Cellulose-based paper substrates provide distinct advantages due to their porous structure, which enables facile electrode deposition via solution-based processes and offers high mechanical deformability. Leveraging these material properties, Cu electrodes are asymmetrically deposited onto paper substrates by varying electrode widths. This variation induces differences in electrical resistance, generating significant temperature gradients across the substrate. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that temperature gradients could be modulated by adjusting the extent of Cu enhancement in the electrode patterns. it is fabricated energy-efficient soft robots capable of directional crawling at a low actuation voltage of 0.5 V by integrating the paper substrate with LCEs in a bilayer architecture. The simplicity of the electrode patterning process, combined with the eco-friendly nature of paper-based actuators, presents a promising approach for the scalable and sustainable fabrication of soft robots with complex locomotion capabilities.

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