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Robotics industry

Researchers Develop New Method for Soft Robotic Materials

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Researchers from Zhejiang University have developed a new digital programming strategy that enables multi-material integration in liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) via controlled network topology design. This breakthrough has the potential to significantly expand the design possibilities for LCE-based actuators, paving the way for advanced soft robotic material systems. By leveraging sequential orthogonal reactions triggered by light irradiation and thermal curing, the method allows for programmable network topologies and can be used to achieve heterogeneous phase transition temperatures, actuation responses, and optical properties within a single LCE material.

Key Takeaways:

  • The new digital programming strategy enables multi-material integration in LCEs via controlled network topology design, allowing for programmable network topologies.
  • The method leverages sequential orthogonal reactions triggered by light irradiation and thermal curing to achieve heterogeneous phase transition temperatures, actuation responses, and optical properties within a single LCE material.
  • The research, led by Xiaorui Zhou, has been peer-reviewed and has the potential to significantly expand the design possibilities for LCE-based actuators.
  • The study, titled "Accessing Multi-Material Liquid Crystal Elastomers Via Digitally Programmable Network Topologies," was published in the journal Advanced Materials in 2025.
  • The research team, including Xiaorui Zhou, Yi Sheng, Hanyuan Bao, Jiacheng Huang, Zhan Zhu, Yufei Wang, Zizheng Fang, Jingjun Wu, Tao Xie, and Ning Zheng, developed the new method using digital light patterning to spatially and temporally regulate the curing process.
  • The method has the potential to be used in the development of advanced soft robotic material systems, which could have significant implications for robotics and machine learning.

Statistics:

  • The research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
  • The study was published in the journal Advanced Materials in 2025.
  • The research team used digital light patterning to spatially and temporally regulate the curing process.
  • The method allows for programmable network topologies and can be used to achieve heterogeneous phase transition temperatures, actuation responses, and optical properties within a single LCE material.
  • The research has the potential to significantly expand the design possibilities for LCE-based actuators.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. Reports from Zhejiang University Add New Data to Findings in Robotics (Accessing Multi-Material Liquid Crystal Elastomers Via Digitally Programmable Network Topologies). Journal of Engineering. November 3, 2025; p 3005.
  • Xiaorui Zhou, et al. "Accessing Multi-Material Liquid Crystal Elastomers Via Digitally Programmable Network Topologies." Advanced Materials, 2025.
  • Advanced Materials. Wiley-v C H Verlag Gmbh, Postfach 101161, 69451 Weinheim, Germany. (Wiley-Blackwell - www.wiley.com/; Advanced Materials - onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1521-4095)

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