Multi-functional and integrated actuators made with bio-inspired cobweb carbon nanotube-Polymer composites

Soft actuators have emerged as flexible platforms that can integrate many functional electronic devices to build intelligent electronic systems. The energy supply and wireless signal transmission of electronic systems of the multi-functional actuators are challenging research areas. Here, the idea of the functionalized and hierarchical design is proposed to construct the multi-functional and integrated actuators. Inspired by the structure of cob-webs, multi-functional carbon nanotube (CNT)-polymer composites with network structures are proposed and applied in multi-responsive actuators, supercapacitors, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding devices. Two multi-functional and integrated actuators are highlighted to demonstrate the practical applications. One is a light-driven actuator integrated with an EMI shielding function, which can be used as an intelligent shielding curtain. The other is an electrical-driven actuator integrated with an energy storage function. Especially, the functions of actuation and energy storage can be simultaneously/independently used without interfering with each other. We provide comprehensive research from the material level (CNT-polymer composites) to the device level (actuators, supercapacitors, EMI shielding devices), and then to the system level (multi-functional actua-tors). We believe that the integration design of the multi-functional actuators will open up new avenues for the development of soft robotics, wireless signal transmission switch, and deformable supercapacitors.