Bio-inspired carbon-based artificial muscle with precise and continuous morphing capabilities

In the face of advancements in microrobotics, intelligent control and precision medicine, artificial muscle actuation systems must meet demands for precise control, high stability, environmental adaptability and high integration miniaturization. Carbon materials, being lightweight, strong and highly conductive and flexible, show great potential for artificial muscles. Inspired by the butterfly’s proboscis, we have developed a carbon-based artificial muscle, hydrogen-substituted graphdiyne muscle (HsGDY-M), fabricated efficiently using an emerging hydrogen-substituted graphdiyne (HsGDY) film with an asymmetrical surface structure. This muscle features reversible, rapid and continuously adjustable deformation capabilities similar to the butterfly’s proboscis, triggered by the conversion of carbon bonds. The size of the HsGDY-M can be tuned by changing the HsGDY film width from ∼1 cm to 100 μm. Our research demonstrates HsGDY-M’s stability and adaptability, maintaining performance at temperatures as low as −25°C. This artificial muscle was successfully integrated into a robotic mechanical arm, allowing it to swiftly adjust its posture and lift objects up to 11 times its own weight. Its beneficial responsiveness is transferable, enabling the transformation of ‘inert’ objects like copper foil into actuators via surface bonding. Because of its super sensitive and rapid deformation, HsGDY-M was applied to create a real-time tracking system for human finger bending movements, achieving real-time simulation and large-hand-to-small-hand control. Our study indicates that HsGDY-M holds significant promise for advancing smart robotics and precision medicine.