Affiliation:
1. Guangxi Key Laboratory of Calcium Carbonate Resources Comprehensive Utilization College of Materials and Chemical Engineering Hezhou University Hezhou City 542899 China
2. School of Materials Science and Engineering Guilin University of Electronic Technology Guilin City 541004 China
3. State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering Polymer Research Institute Sichuan University Chengdu City 610065 China
4. Guangxi Lisheng Stone Co., Ltd. Hezhou University Hezhou City 542899 China
Abstract
AbstractFlexible actuators with excellent adaptability and interaction safety have a wide range of application prospects in many fields. However, current flexible actuators have problems such as fragility and poor actuating ability. Here, inspired by the features of nacre structure, a gradient structured flexible actuator is proposed with mechanical robustness and self‐healing ability. By introducing dynamic boronic ester bonds at the interface between MXene nanosheets and epoxy natural rubber matrix, the resulting nanocomposites with ordered micro‐nano structures exhibit excellent tensile strength (25.03 MPa) and satisfactory repair efficiency (81.2%). In addition, the gradient distribution structure of MXene nanosheets endows the actuator with stable photothermal conversion capability, which can quickly respond to near‐infrared light stimulation. The interlayer dynamic covalent bond crosslinking enables good response speed after multiple bending and is capable of functional self‐healing after damage. This work introduces gradient structure and dynamic covalent bonding into flexible actuators, which provides a reference for the fabrication of self‐healing soft robots, wearable, and other healable functional materials.
Funder
National Natural Science Foundation of China
National Major Science and Technology Projects of China
Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of Guangxi Province
Subject
Biomaterials,Biotechnology,General Materials Science,General Chemistry