Nanowerk April 1, 2020
Graphene-based actuators featuring fast and reversible deformation under various external stimuli are promising for soft robotics. However, these bimorph actuators are incapable of complex and programmable 3D deformation, which limits their practical application. Researchers in China fabricated a moisture-responsive graphene actuator swarm that has programmable shape-changing capability by programming the SU-8 patterns underneath with specific geometries and orientations on a continuous graphene oxide film, forming a swarm of bimorph actuators. They achieved predictable and complex deformations including bending, twisting, coiling, asymmetric bending, 3D folding and the combination of them due to the collective coupling and coordination of the actuator swarm. This work expands the capabilities of existing bimorph actuators for applications in various smart devices…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLEÂ
Schematic illustration of the fabrication of patterned SU-8/GO bilayer film using UV lithography. Credit: Image: Science China Press