4D Printed Non-Euclidean-Plate Jellyfish Inspired Soft Robot in Diverse Organic Solvents.

Soft robots have the potential to assist and complement human exploration of extreme and harsh environments (i.e., organic solvents). However, soft robots with stable performance in diverse organic solvents have not been developed yet. In the current research, we fabricate a non-Euclidean-plate under-liquid soft robot inspired by jellyfish (NEP-Jelly inspired soft robot) based on phototropic liquid crystal elastomers via a 4D-programmable strategy. Specifically, the robot employs a 3D-printed non-Euclidean-plate, designed with Archimedean orientation, which undergoes autonomous deformation to release internal stress when immersed in organic solvents. With the assistance of near-infrared light illumination, organic solvent inside the robot vaporizes and generates propulsion in the form of bubble streams. The developed NEP-Jelly inspired soft robot can swim with a high degree of freedom in various organic solvents, e.g., N, N-dimethylformamide, N, N-dimethylacetamide, tetrahydrofuran, dichloromethane, and trichloromethane, which is not reported before. Besides bionic jellyfish, various aquatic invertebrate-inspired soft robots can potentially be prepared via a similar 4D-programmable strategy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.