Zhou Jiahui, Zhang Yufan, Zhang Jiwei, Zhang Desuo, Zhou Xinran, Xiong Jiaqing
Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China.
College of Textile and Clothing Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
ACS Nano. 2023 Sep 26;17(18):17920-17930. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.3c04022. Epub 2023 Sep 5.
Autonomous object manipulation and perception with environmental factor-triggered and self-powered actuation is one of the most attractive directions for developing next-generation soft robotics with a smart human-machine-environment interface. Humidity, as a sustainable energy source ubiquitous in the surrounding environment, can be used for triggering smart grippers. In this work, it is proposed that by contacts between the gripper and objects upon humidity-induced actuation, real-time distinguishable triboelectric signals can be generated to realize the humidity-driven object manipulation and identification. Herein, a thermo-modified electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone/poly(acrylic acid)/MIL-88A (T-PPM) nanofibrous film with micro-to-nano cross-scale porosity is developed, and a bilayer humidity-responsive actuator (T-HRA) was designed, mimicking the tamariskoid spikemoss to enhance the humidity-driven actuation. The breathing effect of MIL-88A and hierarchical porous structure of the T-PPM facilitate moisture diffusion and offer huge actuation (2.41 cm) with a fast response (0.084 cm s). For autonomous object manipulation perception, T-PPM was verified as a tribo-positive material located between paper and silk. Accordingly, the T-HRA was demonstrated as a smart soft gripper that generates a different electric signal upon contact with objects of different material. This work proposes a concept of soft robots that are interactive with the environment for both autonomous object manipulation and information acquisition.
通过环境因素触发和自供电驱动实现自主物体操纵与感知，是开发具有智能人机环境界面的下一代软机器人最具吸引力的方向之一。湿度作为周围环境中普遍存在的可持续能源，可用于触发智能夹具。在这项工作中，提出通过湿度诱导驱动时夹具与物体之间的接触，可以产生实时可区分的摩擦电信号，以实现湿度驱动的物体操纵和识别。在此，开发了一种具有微纳交叉尺度孔隙率的热改性电纺聚乙烯吡咯烷酮/聚丙烯酸/MIL-88A（T-PPM）纳米纤维膜，并设计了一种双层湿度响应致动器（T-HRA），模仿柽柳状卷柏以增强湿度驱动的致动。MIL-88A的呼吸效应和T-PPM的分级多孔结构促进了水分扩散，并提供了2.41厘米的巨大驱动行程以及0.084厘米/秒的快速响应速度。对于自主物体操纵感知，T-PPM被验证为位于纸张和丝绸之间的摩擦正性材料。因此，T-HRA被证明是一种智能软夹具，在与不同材料的物体接触时会产生不同的电信号。这项工作提出了一种软机器人的概念，即与环境进行交互以实现自主物体操纵和信息获取。
