Octopi Tentacles‐Inspired Architecture Enables Self‐Healing Conductive Rapid‐Photo‐Responsive Materials for Soft Multifunctional Actuators

Abstract

AbstractTo mimic biological systems' healing mechanism and sensory motion, the combination of self‐healing, perception, and actuation in a singular soft artificial material is required, which would be enormously valuable for soft robotics that commit to obtaining multifunction and local sensing capacities approaching living organisms. However, most existing soft somatosensory actuators lack self‐healing capability to injuries, and suffer from insufficient actuating performance and sensitivity, and complicated manufacturing operations. Herein, a bioinspired conductive photo‐responsive architecture is reported. Rapidly photo‐responsive anthracene, self‐healing matrix with dynamic interactions, and high‐conductivity slideable silver nanowires chemically integrated with matrix are respectively utilized to mimic the neuromuscular system and effectors, biological tissue systems, and nerve cords and receptors of octopus tentacles. Such a soft somatosensory actuator exhibits rapid actuation (light‐driven bending velocity, 10o s−1), distinctive intrinsic strain sensitivity (gauge factor, 90.88), and decent self‐healing efficiency (92.2%). As a proof of concept, octopi tentacles‐inspired smart grippers are fabricated for various photo‐responsive motions including bending, weightlifting and object grasping that can contemporaneously detect actions by real‐time resistance changes and provide information feedback. This work is anticipated to bring fresh horizons in the design of multifunctional sensory actuating materials and establish a pathway for the advancement of self‐diagnostic soft robots.