Biodegradable and Flexible Wood-Gelatin Composites for Soft Actuating Systems
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Date
2024-06-10
Publication Type
Journal Article
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Abstract
Compliant materials are indispensable for many emerging soft robotics applications. Hence, concerns regarding sustainability and end-of-life options for these materials are growing, given that they are predominantly petroleum-based and non-recyclable. Despite efforts to explore alternative bio-derived soft materials like gelatin, they frequently fall short in delivering the mechanical performance required for soft actuating systems. To address this issue, we reinforced a compliant and transparent gelatin-glycerol matrix with structure-retained delignified wood, resulting in a flexible and entirely biobased composite (DW-flex). This DW-flex composite exhibits highly anisotropic mechanical behavior, possessing higher strength and stiffness in the fiber direction and high deformability perpendicular to it. Implementing a distinct anisotropy in otherwise isotropic soft materials unlocks new possibilities for more complex movement patterns. To demonstrate the capability and potential of DW-flex, we built and modeled a fin ray-inspired gripper finger, which deforms based on a twist-bending-coupled motion that is tailorable by adjusting the fiber direction. Moreover, we designed a demonstrator for a proof-of-concept suitable for gripping a soft object with a complex shape, i.e., a strawberry. We show that this composite is entirely biodegradable in soil, enabling more sustainable approaches for soft actuators in robotics applications.
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published
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Journal / series
Volume
12 (23)
Pages / Article No.
8662 - 8670
Publisher
American Chemical Society
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Edition / version
Methods
Software
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Date collected
Date created
Subject
biobased; biodegradable; delignified wood; soft composites; soft actuators; soft robotics; twist-bending coupling; Animal derived food; Composites; Fibers; Humidity; Wood
Organisational unit
03917 - Burgert, Ingo / Burgert, Ingo