Virginia Tech physicists have discovered a microscopic phenomenon that could revolutionize the performance of soft devices like flexible robots and drug delivery capsules. In a paper published in Physical Review Letters, doctoral candidate Chinmay Katke, Assistant Professor C. Nadir Kaplan, and co-author Peter A. Korevaar proposed a new physical mechanism that could enhance the speed of expansion and contraction of hydrogels.
Hydrogels, which are mostly made up of water, are commonly found in everyday items like food jelly and shaving gel. The research conducted by the team at Virginia Tech found a way to make hydrogels swell and contract much faster, improving their flexibility and functionality in various applications.
By utilizing diffusio-phoretic swelling of hydrogels, the scientists were able to demonstrate that hydrogels could change shape rapidly in response to internal ion concentrations. This newfound mechanism could potentially replace rubber in flexible robots, allowing for faster and more precise movements akin to human hands.
Currently, soft robots rely on hydraulics or pneumatics for shape changes, limiting their versatility and speed. With this new discovery, larger hydrogel-based robots could respond quickly to stimuli, potentially revolutionizing industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, search and rescue, cosmetics, and more.
The implications of this research are far-reaching, with the potential to improve the functionality and efficiency of a wide range of soft devices. The team at Virginia Tech is excited about the possibilities this discovery opens up for the future of robotics and soft material applications. Further studies will be conducted to explore the full capabilities of diffusio-phoretic swelling in hydrogels.
Source
Photo credit news.vt.edu