Issue

Vol. 15 (2023)

Bioinspired MXene-Based Soft Actuators Exhibiting Angle-Independent Structural Color

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-022-00977-4
Pan Xue
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, People’s Republic of China
Yuanhao Chen
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, People’s Republic of China
Yiyi Xu
Institute of Advanced Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Tech Key Laboratory for Biomedical Research, Southeast University, and Jiangsu Province Hi, Nanjing 211189, People’s Republic of China
Cristian Valenzuela
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, People’s Republic of China
Xuan Zhang
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, People’s Republic of China
Hari Krishna Bisoyi
Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute and Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
Xiao Yang
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, People’s Republic of China
Ling Wang
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, People’s Republic of China
Xinhua Xu
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, People’s Republic of China
Quan Li
Institute of Advanced Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Tech Key Laboratory for Biomedical Research, Southeast University, and Jiangsu Province Hi, Nanjing 211189, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Quan Li

quanli3273@gmail.com

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 15 (2023), Article Number: 1

Abstract

In nature, many living organisms exhibiting unique structural coloration and soft-bodied actuation have inspired scientists to develop advanced structural colored soft actuators toward biomimetic soft robots. However, it is challenging to simultaneously biomimic the angle-independent structural color and shape-morphing capabilities found in the plum-throated cotinga flying bird. Herein, we report biomimetic MXene-based soft actuators with angle-independent structural color that are fabricated through controlled self-assembly of colloidal SiO2 nanoparticles onto highly aligned MXene films followed by vacuum-assisted infiltration of polyvinylidene fluoride into the interstices. The resulting soft actuators are found to exhibit brilliant, angle-independent structural color, as well as ultrafast actuation and recovery speeds (a maximum curvature of 0.52 mm−1 can be achieved within 1.16 s, and a recovery time of ~ 0.24 s) in response to acetone vapor. As proof-of-concept illustrations, structural colored soft actuators are applied to demonstrate a blue gripper-like bird’s claw that can capture the target, artificial green tendrils that can twine around tree branches, and an artificial multicolored butterfly that can flutter its wings upon cyclic exposure to acetone vapor. The strategy is expected to offer new insights into the development of biomimetic multifunctional soft actuators for somatosensory soft robotics and next-generation intelligent machines.


Highlights:


1 Design and fabrication of MXene-based soft actuators with angle-independent structural color.
2 The nanostructured MXene can not only facilitate the formation of short-range ordered 3D amorphous photonic crystals, but also help significantly improve structural color saturation.
3 The soft actuators exhibit brilliant angle-independent structural color, ultrafast actuation and recovery speeds in response to vapor.

Keywords

Bioinspired soft actuator Angle-independent structural color MXene liquid crystals Soft robotics
Xue, Pan, Yuanhao Chen, Yiyi Xu, Cristian Valenzuela, Xuan Zhang, Hari Krishna Bisoyi, Xiao Yang, Ling Wang, Xinhua Xu, and Quan Li. 2022. “Bioinspired MXene-Based Soft Actuators Exhibiting Angle-Independent Structural Color”. Nano-Micro Letters 15 (December):1. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-022-00977-4.
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
BibTeX
References
  1. M. Cunha, M.G. Debije, A. Schenning, Bioinspired light-driven soft robots based on liquid crystal polymers. Chem. Soc. Rev. 49(18), 6568–6578 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1039/D0CS00363H
  2. H.K. Bisoyi, Q. Li, Liquid crystals: versatile self-organized smart soft materials. Chem. Rev. 122(5), 4887–4926 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00761
  3. J. Sol, H. Sentjens, L. Yang, N. Grossiord, M.G. Debije, Anisotropic iridescence and polarization patterns in a direct ink written chiral photonic polymer. Adv. Mater. 33(39), 2103309 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202103309
  4. L. Wang, A.M. Urbas, Q. Li, Nature-inspired emerging chiral liquid crystal nanostructures: from molecular self-assembly to DNA mesophase and nanocolloids. Adv. Mater. 32(41), 1801335 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201801335
  5. J. Ma, Y. Yang, C. Valenzuela, X. Zhang, W. Feng, Mechanochromic, shape-programmable and self-healable cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers enabled by dynamic covalent boronic ester bonds. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 61(9), e202116219 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202116219
  6. J.J. Yang, X.F. Zhang, X. Zhang, L. Wang, W. Feng et al., Beyond the visible: bioinspired infrared adaptive materials. Adv. Mater. 33(14), 2004754 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202004754
  7. J. Teyssier, S.V. Saenko, D. Marel, M.C. Milinkovitch, Photonic crystals cause active colour change in chameleons. Nat. Commun. 6, 6368 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms7368
  8. R.O. Prum, R.H. Torres, S. Williamson, J. Dyck, Coherent light scattering by blue feather barbs. Nature 396, 28–29 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/23838
  9. V. Hwang, A.B. Stephenson, S. Barkley, S. Brandt, M. Xiao et al., Designing angle-independent structural colors using Monte Carlo simulations of multiple scattering. PNAS 118, e2015551118 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2015551118
  10. F. Castles, S.M. Morris, J. Hung, M. Qasim, H.J. Coles, Stretchable liquid-crystal blue-phase gels. Nat. Mater. 13, 817–821 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/NMAT3993
  11. J. Mu, G. Wang, H. Yan, H. Li, X. Wang et al., Molecular-channel driven actuator with considerations for multiple configurations and color switching. Nat. Commun. 9, 590 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-03032-2
  12. Y. Wang, H. Cui, Q. Zhao, X. Du, Chameleon-inspired structural-color actuators. Matter 1, 626–638 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matt.2019.05.012
  13. L. Tang, L. Wang, X. Yang, Y. Feng, W. Feng, Poly(n-isopropylacrylamide)-based smart hydrogels: design, properties and applications. Prog. Mater. Sci. 115, 100702 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmatsci.2020.100702
  14. P. Lv, X. Lu, L. Wang, W. Feng, Nanocellulose-based functional materials: from chiral photonics to soft actuator and energy storage. Adv. Funct. Mater. 31(45), 2104991 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202104991
  15. F. Fu, L. Shang, Z. Chen, Y. Yu, Y. Zhao, Bioinspired living structural color hydrogels. Sci. Robot. 3, eaar8580 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.aar85
  16. S. Wei, W. Lu, X. Le, C. Ma, H. Lin et al., Bioinspired synergistic fluorescence-color-switchable polymeric hydrogel actuators. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 58(45), 16243–16251 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201908437
  17. Z.C. Liu, H.K. Bisoyi, Y.L. Huang, M. Wang, H. Yang et al., Thermo- and mechanochromic camouflage and self-healing in biomimetic soft actuators based on liquid crystal elastomers. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 61(8), e202115755 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202115755
  18. S. Huang, Y. Huang, Q. Li, Photodeformable liquid crystalline polymers containing functional additives: toward photomanipulatable intelligent soft systems. Small Struct. 2, 2100038 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1002/sstr.202100038
  19. Y. Huang, H. Bisoyi, S. Huang, M. Wang, X.M. Chen et al., Bioinspired synergistic photochromic luminescence and programmable liquid crystal actuators. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 60(20), 11247–11251 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202101881
  20. B. Datta, E.F. Spero, F.J. Martin-Martinez, C. Ortiz, Socially-directed development of materials for structural color. Adv. Mater. 34(20), 2100939 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202100939
  21. F.T. Meng, B.Z. Ju, Z.Z. Wang, R.H. Han, Y. Zhang et al., Bioinspired polypeptide photonic films with tunable structural color. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 144(17), 7610–7615 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.2c02894
  22. S.S. Miao, Y. Wang, L.Y. Sun, Y.J. Zhao, Freeze-derived heterogeneous structural color films. Nat. Commun. 13, 4044 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31717-2
  23. Q.S. Zhang, Q.H. Jin, A. Mertens, C. Rainer, R. Huber et al., Fabrication of Bragg mirrors by multilayer inkjet printing. Adv. Mater. 34(33), 2201348 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202201348
  24. X.K. Li, J. Liu, D.D. Li, S.Q. Huang, K. Huang et al., Bioinspired multi-stimuli responsive actuators with synergistic color- and morphing-change abilities. Adv. Sci. 8(16), 2101295 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202101295
  25. X.K. Li, J. Liu, Q.Q. Guo, X.X. Zhang, M. Tian, Polymerizable deep eutectic solvent-based skin-like elastomers with dynamic schemochrome and self-healing ability. Small 18(19), 2201012 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202201012
  26. A.G. Dumanli, T. Savin, Recent advances in the biomimicry of structural colours. Chem. Soc. Rev. 45, 6698–6724 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1039/c6cs00129g
  27. Y. Ohtsuka, T. Seki, Y. Takeoka, Thermally tunable hydrogels displaying angle-independent structural colors. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 54(51), 15368–15373 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201507503
  28. J. Zhou, H. Peng, M. Liu, H. Zhou, Y. Xi, Self-healable organogel nanocomposite with angle-independent structural colors. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 56(35), 10462–10466 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201705462
  29. Y. Zhang, P. Han, H. Zhou, N. Wu, Y. Wei et al., Highly brilliant noniridescent structural colors enabled by graphene nanosheets containing graphene quantum dots. Adv. Funct. Mater. 28(29), 1802585 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201802585
  30. Y. Zhang, B. Dong, A. Chen, X. Liu, L. Shi et al., Using cuttlefish ink as an additive to produce non-iridescent structural colors of high color visibility. Adv. Mater. 27(32), 4719–4724 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201501936
  31. M. Iwata, M. Teshima, T. Seki, S. Yoshioka, Y. Takeoka, Bio-inspired bright structurally colored colloidal amorphous array enhanced by controlling thickness and black background. Adv. Mater. 29(26), 1605050 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201605050
  32. A. Vahidmohammadi, J. Rosen, Y. Gogotsi, The world of two-dimensional carbides and nitrides (MXenes). Science 372, 1165 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abf1581
  33. B. Anasori, M.R. Luhatskaya, Y. Gogotsi, 2D metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes) for energy storage. Nat. Rev. Mater. 2, 16098 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/natrevmats.2016.98
  34. D. Pang, M. Alhabeb, X. Mu, Y. Dall’Agnese, Y. Gao, Electrochemical actuators based on two-dimensional Ti3C2Tx (MXene). Nano Lett. 19(10), 7443–7448 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b03147
  35. S. Umrao, R. Tabassian, J. Kim, V. Nguyen, Q.T. Zhou et al., MXene artificial muscles based on ionically cross-linked Ti3C2Tx electrode for kinetic soft robotics. Sci. Robot. 4, eaaw7797 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.aaw7797
  36. J. Wang, Y. Liu, Z. Cheng, Z. Xie, Z. Fan, Highly conductive MXene film actuator based on moisture gradients. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 59(33), 14029–14033 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202003737
  37. J. Cao, Z. Zhou, Q. Song, K. Chen, G. Su et al., Ultrarobust Ti3C2Tx MXene-based soft actuators via bamboo-inspired mesoscale assembly ofhybrid nanostructures. ACS Nano 14(6), 7055–7065 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.0c01779
  38. Y. Hu, L. Yang, Q. Yan, Q. Ji, L. Chang et al., Self-locomotive soft actuator based on asymmetric microstructural Ti3C2Tx MXene film driven by natural sunlight fluctuation. ACS Nano 15(3), 5294–5306 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.0c10797
  39. G. Ge, Y.Z. Zhang, W. Zhang, W. Yuan, J.K. El-Demellawi et al., Ti3C2Tx MXene-activated fast gelation of stretchable and self-healing hydrogels: a molecular approach. ACS Nano 15(3), 2698–2706 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.0c07998
  40. P. Xue, H.K. Bisoyi, Y. Chen, H. Zeng, J. Yang et al., Near-infrared light-driven shape-morphing of programmable anisotropic hydrogels enabled by MXene nanosheets. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 60(7), 3390–3396 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202014533
  41. G. Cai, J.H. Ciou, Y. Liu, Y. Jiang, P.S. Lee, Leaf-inspired multiresponsive MXene-based actuator for programmable smart devices. Sci. Adv. 5, eaaw7956 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aaw7956
  42. M. Yang, Y. Xu, X. Zhang, H.K. Bisoyi, P. Xue et al., Bioinspired phototropic MXene-reinforced soft tubular actuators for omnidirectional light-tracking and adaptive photovoltaics. Adv. Funct. Mater. 32(26), 202201884 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202201884
  43. L. Wang, Q. Li, Photochromism into nanosystems: towards lighting up the future nanoworld. Chem. Soc. Rev. 47(3), 1044–1097 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1039/c7cs00630f
  44. J. Zhang, N. Kong, S. Uzun, A. Levitt, J.M. Razal, Scalable manufacturing of free-standing, strong Ti3C2Tx MXene films with outstanding conductivity. Adv. Mater. 32(23), 2001093 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202001093
  45. J.Z. Zhang, S. Uzun, S. Seyedin, P.A. Lynch, B. Akuzum et al., Additive-free MXene liquid crystals and fibers. ACS Cent. Sci. 6(2), 254–265 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1021/acscentsci.9b01217
  46. S.I. Rich, R.J. Wood, C. Majidi, Untethered soft robotics. Nat. Electron. 1, 102–112 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28038-9
  47. J. Liu, L. Sheng, Z.Z. He, Liquid Metal Soft Machines: Principles and Applications. (Springer, 2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2709-4
  48. Y. Zhao, C.Y. Lo, L. Ruan, C.H. Pi, X. He, Somatosensory actuator based on stretchable conductive photothermally responsive hydrogel. Sci. Robot. 6, eabd5483 (2021).https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.abd5483
  49. P.F. Lv, X. Yang, H.K. Bisoyi, H. Zeng, X. Zhang et al., Stimulus-driven liquid metal and liquid crystal network actuators for programmable soft robotics. Mater. Horiz. 8, 2475 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1039/d1mh00623a
  50. X. Yang, Y.H. Chen, X. Zhang, P. Xue, P.F. Lv et al., Bioinspired light-fueled water-walking soft robots based on liquid crystal network actuators with polymerizable miniaturized gold nanorods. Nano Today 43, 101419 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nantod.2022.101419
  51. W. Stöber, A. Fink, E. Bohn, Controlled growth of monodisperse silica spheres in the micron size range. J. Colloid Interf. Sci. 26, 62–69 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-9797(68)90272-5
  52. M. Alhabeb, K. Maleski, B. Anasori, P. Lelyukh, L. Clark et al., Guidelines for synthesis and processing of two-dimensional titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx MXene). Chem. Mater. 29, 7633–7644 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.7b02847
  53. Y. Xia, T.S. Mathis, M.Q. Zhao, B. Anasori, A. Dang et al., Thickness-independent capacitance of vertically aligned liquid-crystalline MXenes. Nature 557, 409 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-018-0109-z
  54. Y. Meng, F.F. Liu, M.M. Umair, B.Z. Ju, S.F. Zhang et al., Patterned and iridescent plastics with 3D inverse opal structure for anticounterfeiting of the banknotes. Adv. Opt. Mater. 6(8), 1701351 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.201701351
  55. Z. Zhu, J. Zhang, Y. Tong, G. Peng, T. Cui et al., Reduced graphene oxide membrane induced robust structural colors toward personal thermal management. ACS Photon. 6(1), 116–122 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsphotonics.8b00952
  56. Q. Zhao, J. Dunlop, X. Qiu, F. Huang, Z. Zhang et al., An instant multi-responsive porous polymer actuator driven by solvent molecule sorption. Nat. Commun. 5, 4293 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms5293
  57. L. Zhang, P. Naumov, X. Du, Z. Hu, J. Wang, Vapomechanically responsive motion of microchannel-programmed actuators. Adv. Mater. 29(39), 1702231 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201702231
  58. H. Zhang, K.C. Ly, X. Liu, Z. Chen, M. Yan et al., Biologically inspired flexible photonic films for efficient passive radiative cooling. PNAS 117, 14657–14666 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.200180211
  59. X. Zhang, Y.Y. Xu, C. Valenzuela, X.F. Zhang, L. Wang et al., Liquid crystal-templated chiral nanomaterials: from chiral plasmonics to circularly polarized luminescence. Light Sci. Appl. 11, 223 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-022-00913-6
  60. H. Zhou, J. Xu, X. Liu, H. Zhang, D. Wang et al., Bio-inspired photonic materials: prototypes and structural effect designs for applications in solar energy manipulation. Adv. Funct. Mater. 28(24), 1705309 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201705309
  61. X. Liu, C. Xiao, P. Wang, M. Yan, H. Wang et al., Biomimetic photonic multiform composite for high-performance radiative cooling. Adv. Opt. Mater. 9(22), 2101151 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.202101151
  62. X. Zhang, Y.Z. Yang, P. Xue, C. Valenzuela, Y.H. Chen et al., Three-dimensional electrochromic soft photonic crystals based on MXene-integrated blue phase liquid crystals for bioinspired visible and infrared camouflage. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 61(42), e202211030 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202211030
  63. Z.Y. Wang, C. Valenzuela, J.H. Wu, Y.H. Chen, L. Wang et al., Bioinspired freeze-tolerant soft materials: design, properties, and applications. Small 18(37), 202201597 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202201597
Read More
Author biographies are not available.
Statistic
Read Counter : 4761 Download : 3369

Most read articles by the same author(s)