Mechanochromic detection for soft opto-magnetic actuators

New multi-stimuli responsive materials are required in smart systems applications to overcome current limitations in remote actuation and to achieve versatile operation in inaccessible environments. The incorporation of detection mechanisms to quantify in real time the response to external stimuli i...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Güell Grau, Pau|||0000-0002-2363-4079, Escudero Villa, Pedro Fernando|||0000-0003-0534-2328, Perdikos, Filippos Giannis, López-Barbera, José Francisco|||0000-0002-9475-625X, Pascual-Izarra, Carlos, Villa, Rosa|||0000-0003-2735-3204, Nogués, Josep|||0000-0003-4616-1371, Sepúlveda, Borja|||0000-0002-1562-7602, Alvarez, Mar|||0000-0003-4590-4401
Format: article
Publication Date:2021
Country:España
Institution:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repository:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:250457
Online Access:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/250457
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1021/acsami.1c11710
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Mechanochromic
Structural coloration
Opto-magnetic
Soft actuator
Smart sensing
Description
Summary:New multi-stimuli responsive materials are required in smart systems applications to overcome current limitations in remote actuation and to achieve versatile operation in inaccessible environments. The incorporation of detection mechanisms to quantify in real time the response to external stimuli is crucial for the development of automated systems. Here, we present the first wireless opto-magnetic actuator with mechanochromic response. The device, based on a nanostructured-iron (Fe) layer transferred onto suspended elastomer structures with a periodically corrugated backside, can be actuated both optically (in a broadband spectral range) and magnetically. The combined opto-magnetic stimulus can accurately modulate the mechanical response (strength and direction) of the device. The structural coloration generated at the corrugated back surface enables to easily map and quantify, in 2D, the mechanical deflections by analyzing in real time the hue changes of images taken using a conventional RGB smartphone camera, with a precision of 0.05°. We demonstrate the independent and synergetic optical and magnetic actuation and detection with a detection limit of 1.8 mW·cm -2 and 0.34 mT, respectively. The simple operation, versatility, and cost-effectiveness of the wireless multiactuated device with highly sensitive mechanochromic mapping paves the way to a new generation of wirelessly controlled smart systems.