Tunable MXene/WO3 Fabry−Pérot Microcavity Architecture for Bioinspired Soft Electrochromic Actuators with Vivid Colors

Abstract

AbstractInspired by stimuli‐responsive creatures in nature, developing devices with synergistic color change and deformation will be of great value for realizing the adaptive variants. Yet, integrating adaptive color variation and deformation into a single device remains elusive. Herein, an intriguing electrochromic actuator based on MXene/WO3 bilayer film is developed with Fabry−Pérot (F–P) microcavity, which successfully integrates both functions of reversible deformation and vivid color variations into the same device. Upon applying a small electric field, the ion intercalation/de‐intercalation can synchronously alter the stress distribution and optical absorption of MXene/WO3, resulting in the dual response of electrochromic phenomenon and ultra‐fast deformation with a maximum angle of 95° within 10 s. Moreover, the F–P microcavity architecture with the physical light interaction additionally endows the bilayer film with a bright color gamut and high color tunability (yellow–green, purple, pink, blue, etc.). Furthermore, an asymmetric soft actuator based on MXene/WO3 bilayer film is assembled, which displays robust grasping ability and excellent cycling stability up to 1000 cycles. These findings may open new opportunities for somatosensory soft robots and next‐generation intelligent robots.