The autonomous shape-reconfigurable and locomotive rechargeable power sources were demonstrated by Korean researchers at Yonsei university and Inha university. The study has been published on-line in Materials Today on April 26.

Soft electronics have garnered considerable attention as a promising alternative to conventional electronics with fixed shapes and sizes because of their facile and intimate shape-adaptability to complex operating environments. Their practical applications, however, have been plagued by limited maneuverability, which predominantly stemmed from tethered electrical cords or rigid/bulky power sources. 

The researchers presented light-triggered autonomous shape-reconfigurable and locomotive rechargeable power sources (SL-PSs), in which quasi-solid-state supercapacitors (SCs) are monolithically integrated with thermoresponsive liquid crystalline polymer networks (LCNs) substrates using a device-customized printing process. The SCs are designed to enable photothermal effect as well as adjustable capacitive storage. The LCNs are synthesized to provide thermomechanical deformation by programmable anisotropic molecular contract/expansion. 

Upon exposure to light or heat, the SL-PSs exhibit autonomous and reversible shape-morphing within a few seconds without impairing their electrochemical performance. Moreover, the SL-PSs convey a model cargo through photothermal stimuli-induced wire-crawling and simultaneously transfer their on-board stored electrical energy, demonstrating their potential viability as an untethered soft robotic power source.

[Reference] 

Authors: Kwon-Hyung Lee, Jisoo Jeon, Woongbi Cho, Sang-Woo Kim, Hyunseok Moon, Jeong Jae Wie, Sang-Young Lee

Article title: Light-triggered autonomous shape-reconfigurable and locomotive rechargeable power sources

Journal: Materials Today (IF 31.041)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mattod.2022.04.003

[Main Author] Kwon-Hyung Lee (Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology), Jisoo Jeon (Inha university), Jeong Jae Wie (Corresponding author, Inha university), Sang-Young Lee (Corresponding author, Yonsei university)

* Contact : syleek@yonsei.ac.kr