Graphene oxide-enabled synthesis of metal oxide origamis for soft robotics

Origami structures have been widely applied in various technologies especially in the fields of soft robotics. Metaloxides (MOs) have recently emerged as unconventional backbone materials for constructing complex origamis withdistinct functionalities. However, the MO origami structures reported in the literature were rigid and not deformable,thus limiting their applications from soft robotics. Herein , we reported a graphene oxide (GO)-enabled templatingsynthesis to produce complex MO origami structures from their paper origami templates with high structuralreplication. The MO origami structures were next stabilized with elastomer, and the MO-elastomer origamis were ableto be adapted into multiple actuation systems (including magnetic fields, shape-memory alloys, and pneumatics) forthe fabrication of MO origami robots. Compared with conventional paper origami robots, the MO robots werelightweight, mechanically compliant, fire-retardant, magnetic responsive, and power-efficient. We further demonstratedthat the legendary phoenix -fire-reborn concept in the soft robotic fields : a paper origami robot sacrificed itself in a firescene and transformed itself into a downsized Al O robot; the Al O robot was able to crawl through a narrow tunnelwhere the original paper robot was unfit. These MO reconfigurable origamis provide an expanded material library forbuilding soft robotics, and the functionalities of MO robots can be systematically engineered via the intercalation ofvarious metal ions during the GO-enabled synthesis.