Esophagus‐Inspired Actuator for Solid Transportation via the Synergy of Lubrication and Contractile Deformation
Abstract
Directional transportation of objects has important applications from energy transfer and intelligent robots to biomedical devices. Although breakthroughs in liquid migration on 2D surfaces or 3D tubular devices have been achieved, realizing smooth/on‐demand transportation of constrained solids within a 3D cavity environment under harsh pressurized environment still remains a daunting challenge, where strong interface friction force becomes the main obstacle restricting the movement of solids. Inspired by typical feeding mechanism in natural esophagus system which synergistically couples a lubricating mucosa surface with the peristaltic contraction deformation of the cavity, herein, this challenge is addressed by constructing an esophagus‐inspired layered tubular actuator with a slippery inner surface and responsive hydrogel matrix to realize spherical solid propulsion by photo(thermo)‐induced cavity deformation. The as‐constructed tubular actuator containing Fe3O4 nanoparticles exhibits local volumetric shrinkage upon NIR‐irradiation, which can generate large hydrodynamic pressure and considerable mechanical extrusion force (Fdriving force ≈ 0.18 N) to overcome low interface friction force (ffriction force ≈ 0.03 N), enabling on‐demand transportation of constrained (pressure: 0.103 MPa) spherical solids over a long distance in an arbitrary direction. This actuator is anticipated to be used as bionic medicine transportation devices or artificial in vitro esophagus simulation systems, for example, to help formula eating‐related physiotherapy plans for patients and astronauts.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Oct 28, 2021
- Source ID
- 10.1002/advs.202102800
Entities
People
- Feng Zhou
- Hui Liu
- Meirong Cai
- Shuanhong Ma
- Xiaowei Pei
- Ximin He
- Yousif Alsaid
- Yunlei Zhang
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- National Science Foundation
- Office of Naval Research
- University of California, Los Angeles
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Youth Innovation Promotion Association