A self-oscillating gel system with complex dynamic behavior based on a time delay between the oscillations.

The time delay existing between the chemical oscillation and mechanical oscillation (C-M delay) in a self-oscillating gel (SOG) system is observable in previous experimental studies. However, how the C-M delay affects the dynamic behavior of a large anisotropic SOG has not been quantified or reported systematically. In this study, we observed that the oscillation period increases with a decrease in the cross-linking density of the anisotropic SOG, and this determined whether regular mechanical oscillation occurs. Unlike before, the disrupted mechanical oscillations interestingly tend to be regular and periodic under visible light, which is an inhibitor for the B-Z reaction incorporating the Ru complex as a catalyst (Ru-BZ reaction). Moreover, the study of the C-M delay at different scales has far-reaching implications for intelligent soft actuators.