Lifetime-configurable soft robots via photodegradable silicone elastomer composites.

ABSTRACT: Developing soft robots that can control their own life cycle and degrade on-demand while maintaining hyperelasticity is a notable research challenge. On-demand degradable soft robots, which conserve their original functionality during operation and rapidly degrade under specific external stimulation, present the opportunity to self-direct the disappearance of temporary robots. This study proposes soft robots and materials that exhibit excellent mechanical stretchability and can degrade under ultraviolet light by mixing a fluoride-generating diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate with a silicone resin. Spectroscopic analysis revealed the mechanism of Si─O─Si backbone cleavage using fluoride ion (F^-) and thermal analysis indicated accelerated decomposition at elevated temperatures.

SUBMITTER: Oh MH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10456849 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature