Unlocking the potential of self-healing and recyclable ionic elastomers for soft robotics applications

Saul Utrera-Barrios; Niklas Steenackers; Seppe Terryn; Pasquale Ferrentino; Guy Van Assche; Joost Brancart; Marianella Hernández Santana

doi:10.1039/D3MH01312J

Unlocking the potential of self-healing and recyclable ionic elastomers for soft robotics applications

Saul Utrera-Barrios, Niklas Steenackers, Seppe Terryn, Pasquale Ferrentino, Guy Van Assche, Joost Brancart, Marianella Hernández Santana

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

15 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

In the field of soft robotics, current materials face challenges related to their load capacity, durability, and sustainability. Innovative solutions are required to address these problems beyond conventional strategies, which often lack long-term ecological viability. This study aims to overcome these limitations using mechanically robust, self-healing, and recyclable ionic elastomers based on carboxylated nitrile rubber (XNBR). The designed materials exhibited excellent mechanical properties, including tensile strengths (TS) exceeding 19 MPa and remarkable deformability, with maximum elongations (EB) over 650%. Moreover, these materials showed high self-healing capabilities, with 100% recovery efficiency of TS and EB at 110 °C after 3 to 5 h, and full recyclability, preserving their mechanical performance even after three recycling cycles. Furthermore, they were also moldable and readily scalable. Tendon-driven soft robotic grippers were successfully developed out of ionic elastomers, illustrating the potential of self-healing and recyclability in the field of soft robotics to reduce maintenance costs, increase material durability, and improve sustainability.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	708-725
Number of pages	18
Journal	Materials Horizons
Volume	11
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1039/D3MH01312J
Publication status	Published - 17 Nov 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors acknowledge the State Research Agency of Spain (AEI) for the research contract (PID2019-107501RB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) and M. Hernández Santana for the Ramón y Cajal contract (RYC-2017-22837). The authors acknowledge the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) for the iLink+ contract (LINKA20325) and S. Utrera-Barrios for the predoctoral contract (PIE-202060E183). The authors acknowledge the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (FWO) for the personal grants of S. Terryn (1100416N) and J. Brancart (12E1123N). All authors also acknowledge Arlanxeo for kindly providing XNBR and the PTI+ SusPlast from CSIC for their support.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

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10.1039/D3MH01312JLicence: CC BY-NC

106894488Final published version, 2.96 MBLicence: CC BY-NC

Cite this

@article{8e7e6fecdd204ee1978405f0647708bc,

title = "Unlocking the potential of self-healing and recyclable ionic elastomers for soft robotics applications",

abstract = "In the field of soft robotics, current materials face challenges related to their load capacity, durability, and sustainability. Innovative solutions are required to address these problems beyond conventional strategies, which often lack long-term ecological viability. This study aims to overcome these limitations using mechanically robust, self-healing, and recyclable ionic elastomers based on carboxylated nitrile rubber (XNBR). The designed materials exhibited excellent mechanical properties, including tensile strengths (TS) exceeding 19 MPa and remarkable deformability, with maximum elongations (EB) over 650%. Moreover, these materials showed high self-healing capabilities, with 100% recovery efficiency of TS and EB at 110 °C after 3 to 5 h, and full recyclability, preserving their mechanical performance even after three recycling cycles. Furthermore, they were also moldable and readily scalable. Tendon-driven soft robotic grippers were successfully developed out of ionic elastomers, illustrating the potential of self-healing and recyclability in the field of soft robotics to reduce maintenance costs, increase material durability, and improve sustainability.",

author = "Saul Utrera-Barrios and Niklas Steenackers and Seppe Terryn and Pasquale Ferrentino and {Van Assche}, Guy and Joost Brancart and {Hern{\'a}ndez Santana}, Marianella",

note = "Funding Information: The authors acknowledge the State Research Agency of Spain (AEI) for the research contract (PID2019-107501RB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) and M. Hern{\'a}ndez Santana for the Ram{\'o}n y Cajal contract (RYC-2017-22837). The authors acknowledge the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) for the iLink+ contract (LINKA20325) and S. Utrera-Barrios for the predoctoral contract (PIE-202060E183). The authors acknowledge the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (FWO) for the personal grants of S. Terryn (1100416N) and J. Brancart (12E1123N). All authors also acknowledge Arlanxeo for kindly providing XNBR and the PTI+ SusPlast from CSIC for their support. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 The Royal Society of Chemistry.",

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language = "English",

volume = "11",

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Unlocking the potential of self-healing and recyclable ionic elastomers for soft robotics applications. / Utrera-Barrios, Saul; Steenackers, Niklas ; Terryn, Seppe ; Ferrentino, Pasquale ; Van Assche, Guy ; Brancart, Joost; Hernández Santana, Marianella.

In: Materials Horizons, Vol. 11, No. 3, 17.11.2023, p. 708-725.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Unlocking the potential of self-healing and recyclable ionic elastomers for soft robotics applications

AU - Utrera-Barrios, Saul

AU - Steenackers, Niklas

AU - Terryn, Seppe

AU - Ferrentino, Pasquale

AU - Van Assche, Guy

AU - Brancart, Joost

AU - Hernández Santana, Marianella

N1 - Funding Information: The authors acknowledge the State Research Agency of Spain (AEI) for the research contract (PID2019-107501RB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) and M. Hernández Santana for the Ramón y Cajal contract (RYC-2017-22837). The authors acknowledge the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) for the iLink+ contract (LINKA20325) and S. Utrera-Barrios for the predoctoral contract (PIE-202060E183). The authors acknowledge the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (FWO) for the personal grants of S. Terryn (1100416N) and J. Brancart (12E1123N). All authors also acknowledge Arlanxeo for kindly providing XNBR and the PTI+ SusPlast from CSIC for their support. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

PY - 2023/11/17

Y1 - 2023/11/17

N2 - In the field of soft robotics, current materials face challenges related to their load capacity, durability, and sustainability. Innovative solutions are required to address these problems beyond conventional strategies, which often lack long-term ecological viability. This study aims to overcome these limitations using mechanically robust, self-healing, and recyclable ionic elastomers based on carboxylated nitrile rubber (XNBR). The designed materials exhibited excellent mechanical properties, including tensile strengths (TS) exceeding 19 MPa and remarkable deformability, with maximum elongations (EB) over 650%. Moreover, these materials showed high self-healing capabilities, with 100% recovery efficiency of TS and EB at 110 °C after 3 to 5 h, and full recyclability, preserving their mechanical performance even after three recycling cycles. Furthermore, they were also moldable and readily scalable. Tendon-driven soft robotic grippers were successfully developed out of ionic elastomers, illustrating the potential of self-healing and recyclability in the field of soft robotics to reduce maintenance costs, increase material durability, and improve sustainability.

AB - In the field of soft robotics, current materials face challenges related to their load capacity, durability, and sustainability. Innovative solutions are required to address these problems beyond conventional strategies, which often lack long-term ecological viability. This study aims to overcome these limitations using mechanically robust, self-healing, and recyclable ionic elastomers based on carboxylated nitrile rubber (XNBR). The designed materials exhibited excellent mechanical properties, including tensile strengths (TS) exceeding 19 MPa and remarkable deformability, with maximum elongations (EB) over 650%. Moreover, these materials showed high self-healing capabilities, with 100% recovery efficiency of TS and EB at 110 °C after 3 to 5 h, and full recyclability, preserving their mechanical performance even after three recycling cycles. Furthermore, they were also moldable and readily scalable. Tendon-driven soft robotic grippers were successfully developed out of ionic elastomers, illustrating the potential of self-healing and recyclability in the field of soft robotics to reduce maintenance costs, increase material durability, and improve sustainability.

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U2 - 10.1039/D3MH01312J

DO - 10.1039/D3MH01312J

M3 - Article

VL - 11

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JO - Materials Horizons

JF - Materials Horizons

SN - 2051-6355

IS - 3

ER -

Unlocking the potential of self-healing and recyclable ionic elastomers for soft robotics applications

Abstract

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FWOTM1096: Double dynamic polymer network architectures for multi-stimuliresponsive materials.

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Unlocking the potential of self-healing and recyclable ionic elastomers for soft robotics applications

Abstract

Bibliographical note

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FWOTM1096: Double dynamic polymer network architectures for multi-stimuliresponsive materials.

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