A research initiative spearheaded by Cornell University has successfully engineered microscale origami machines capable of self-folding via chemical reactions. These devices can operate in dry, room temperature environments, a considerable evolution from their usual dependency on liquid mediums. This significant progression could pave the way for small, autonomous devices that respond quickly to changes in their chemical surroundings.
Overcoming Transduction Challenges
Past attempts to implement direct chemical to mechanical transductions depended on chemical reactions that required extreme conditions, such as high temperatures, and were often prohibitively slow. Abbott’s team circumvented this by focusing on rapid steps within the catalytic pathway, enabling the operation of the chemical actuator based on these swift steps.
Material Selection and Functionality
To make use of this rapid kinetic moment, the team employed ultrathin platinum sheets topped with titanium. Collaborating with theorists led by Professor Manos Mavrikakis from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, the team dissected the chemical reaction that ensues when hydrogen encounters oxygen. Exploiting the key moment when oxygen swiftly removes the hydrogen, they induced deformation and bending in the atomically thin material, akin to a hinge.
Potential Applications and Further Research
The system performs at 600 milliseconds per cycle and can operate at 20 degrees Celsius in dry environments. This breakthrough can be generalized to various catalytic reactions involving substances like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and ammonia. Future research will explore applications with other catalytic metals such as palladium and palladium gold alloys. Ultimately, the findings could lead to autonomous material systems that integrate control circuitry and onboard computation in the material’s response.
Source material by: Cornell University. Content has been edited for readability.
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