The shape – morphing performance of magnetoactive soft materials

TLDR

Magnetoactive soft materials are polymer composites with embedded magnetic particles that enable remote, contactless actuation, high strain, self‑sensing, and fast response, positioning them as promising candidates for artificial muscles, soft robotics, drug delivery, minimally invasive surgery, and metamaterials. This review systematically surveys MSM research, providing a comprehensive overview and a guideline for developing multifunctional, shape‑morphing magnetoactive devices. It examines MSM materials, manufacturing processes, programming and actuation methods, behaviors, experimental characterizations, and device achievements to present the current state of the art and future directions.

Abstract

Magnetoactive soft materials (MSMs) are soft polymeric composites filled with magnetic particles that are an emerging class of smart and multifunctional materials with immense potentials to be used in various applications including but not limited to artificial muscles, soft robotics, controlled drug delivery, minimally invasive surgery, and metamaterials. Advantages of MSMs include remote contactless actuation with multiple actuation modes, high actuation strain and strain rate, self-sensing, and fast response etc. Having broad functional behaviours offered by the magnetic fillers embedded within non-magnetic matrices, MSMs are undoubtedly one of the most promising materials in applications where shape-morphing, dynamic locomotion, and reconfigurable structures are highly required. This review article provides a comprehensive picture of the MSMs focusing on the materials, manufacturing processes, programming and actuation techniques, behaviours, experimental characterisations, and device-related achievements with the current state-of-the-art and discusses future perspectives. Overall, this article not only provides a comprehensive overview of MSMs' research and development but also functions as a systematic guideline towards the development of multifunctional, shape-morphing, and sophisticated magnetoactive devices.