Self-powered electrostatic tweezer for adaptive object manipulation

Abstract

Manipulating objects using physical tweezers is crucial in physics, chemistry, and biology. Despite significant advancements, however, these tweezers are still limited by the need for complex electrode arrays, external power sources, and restricted charge-generation capability. Here, we report an innovative self-powered electrostatic tweezer (SET) that harnesses the unique capability of accumulation and tunability of triboelectric charges of the poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE))-based self-powered electrode during sliding triboelectrification, imparting unprecedented flexibility and adaptivity for object manipulation. The SET enables the precise manipulation of objects with diverse materials, including bubbles, solid balls, and liquid droplets, with a superior high velocity of 353 mm s−1. Notably, the SET is adaptive to open-to-closed platforms, single-to-multiple objects, and two-dimensional (2D)-to-3D surfaces, thereby extending the SET to various applications including droplet robots, cell assembly, and pump-free microfluidics. By eliminating the need for complex electrode arrays, external power sources, and heat generation, the SET holds great potential for next-generation tweezers and microfluidics.