Semi‐Crystalline Rubber as a Light‐Responsive, Programmable, Resilient Robotic Material

Polymers with large and reversible light-induced deformation offer a plethora of opportunities for the wireless control small-scale soft robots. However, their widespread adoption in real-world applications is hindered, mainly due to intrinsic softening upon illumination. Such limitation has detrimental effects on achievable stress, durability, precise positional actuators after multiple cycles use. Here, synthetic rubber from polybutadiene-polyethylene copolymer reported as durable material light-controlled The can be programmed exhibit various modes controlled by visible-to-infrared light through photothermal effect. Semi-crystallinity polyethylene within rubbery network provides this remarkable modulus at high temperatures (2.5 MPa 100–140 °C), repeatability (>90%) shape-recovery (>98%) 100 actuation subject loads ranging 10 000 times its body weight (1.4 kPa–1.4 MPa). Soft robotic are demonstrated, such thermally-driven jumping photo-driven cargo transport carrying up 1200 own weight. results expand portfolio materials designing remotely-controlled, robust, resilient robots working small scales.