Abstract

If well designed, chemicals can help in realizing very complicated liquid metal machine styles. In a large sense, such strategy resembles that of bionics and suggests an important way for the manufacture of soft robots which are not possible otherwise. Among the many different robots, the realization of serpentine locomotion has been a core goal pursued for decades among worldwide researchers. However, there still remains tough challenges in the area due to the complexity of the systems involved. Recently, a straightforward approach was discovered to generate the discretized self-growing and serpentine motion behaviors of liquid metal mollusk based on a new phenomenon observed on liquid metal (LM: Ga67In21Sn12) immersed in specific solutions [1]. The dynamic process that liquid metal can automatically produce and move like tremendous slim snakes in acidic copper salt solution was revealed and the underlying mechanisms were clarified and interpreted. It was revealed that the self-growing serpentine locomotion of liquid metal is driven by the localized surface pressure difference related to the surface tension imbalance originating from the numerous tiny Cu–Ga galvanic couples through the electrocapillary mechanism. Particularly, the significant effect of the acids on inducing the continuous serpentine locomotion of liquid metal was disclosed and comparatively evaluated. The discretely self-growing serpentine locomotion of liquid metal induced by copper ions is very different in its dynamics and configurations from the formerly discovered integral large-scale shape transformation of the liquid metal. This chapter illustrates some basic insights and forms in developing future autonomous soft systems and bionic multifunctional robots with complicated capabilities.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.