Biodegradable yet hyperdurable robotic fingers for zero-waste soft electronics

Abstract

Adopting compostable materials that return to nature akin to organisms can mitigate concerns regarding the ecological footprint associated with the widespread deployment of soft robots across various fields, including medicine, agriculture and environmental exploration. Nevertheless, current implementations are constrained by the lack of reliability of sustainable soft actuators, difficulties in achieving multifunctionality of biodegradable electronics, and uncertain eco-compatibility of by-products. Here we address these challenges by providing a framework that integrates sophisticated transient inorganic electronics with durable yet degradable elastomer (polyglycerol sebacate) and polyanhydride-based adhesive in compostable soft embodiments. Our soft electronic fingers withstand over 1,000,000 actuation cycles and feature 21 high-density electronic components that enable proprio-/exteroceptive sensing and environmental intervention. The high survival rates of oats germinated in soils containing feedstock composted from not only polymers but also electronic materials, such as Si, Mo and Mg, indicate that our robot is seamlessly integrated into the ecosystem. All these advances bridge the gap between sustainability and performance in soft robots.