Large-area graphene realizing ultrasensitive photothermal actuator with high transparency: new prototype robotic motions under infrared-light stimuli

Abstract

As transparent flexible electronics have recently become an emerging technology, they present great demands on the development of transparent soft actuators in the construction of invisible soft robots that would satisfy our daily lives with artificial intelligence devices. However, the current methodologies in building traditional soft actuators have intrinsically hampered the realization of high transparency devices with ultrasensitive responses. Herein, the utilization of large-area graphene successfully realizes the construction of transparent soft actuators with ultrasensitive responses, thereby opening the door for the design of three-dimensional (3D) intelligent models of transparent humanoid robots and micro-/nano-machines. The multiple synergic advantages of large-area graphene, especially its excellent IR absorption ability and ultra-thin dimensions, successfully bring together the excellent actuating sensitivity and high transparency, with the fascinating advantages of remote control, excellent mechanical strength, high sensitivity and high energy conversion efficiency. The transparent actuator model then builds a new bridge between mechanical behavior and the photo-thermal conversion effect not yet realized in other systems. Using infrared-light as the driving energy to realize complex robotic motions not only represents new prototype soft robot models, but also offers novel prospects for highly efficient solar light utilization, as well as the design of novel intelligent soft robot models.