title: Toward a new generation of electrically controllable hygromorphic soft actuators.
abstract: An innovative processing strategy for fabricating soft structures that possess electric- and humidity-driven active/passive actuation capabilities along with touch- and humidity-sensing properties is reported. The intrinsically multifunctional material comprises an active thin layer of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly-(styrene sulfonate) in a double-layered structure with a silicone elastomer and provides an opportunity toward developing a new class of smart structures for soft robotics.
authors.affiliation: Center for Micro-BioRobotics @SSSA, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, Pontedera, 56025, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taccola
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sinibaldi
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mondini
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mazzolai
authors.forename: Virgilio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mattoli
mesh_terms: D016880:Anisotropy; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / Q000737:chemistry*; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D004560:Electricity; D006813:Humidity; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D061848:Optical Imaging; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012826:Silicone Elastomers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D014741:Video Recording
chemical_list: D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D011108:Polymers; D011137:Polystyrenes; D012826:Silicone Elastomers; C121383:poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene); C013830:baysilon; C003321:polystyrene sulfonic acid
keywords: conducting polymers; hygromorphic materials; poly(3,4ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate; soft actuators; stimuli-responsive materials