Controlled assembly of nanocelluloses to develop gross motor function

Actuators are materials that change shape when applied with an external stimulus. The change is usually an increase or decrease in the size of the material, and the stimulus may be, for example, humidity, temperature, light, or pH.

Today, most actuators are manufactured from synthetic polymers or semiconductors. They have good properties in terms of stability and reversibility, however, their life cycle generally entails energy-intensive and/or toxic processes.

This asymmetrical response creates tensions within the film that result in a macroscopic curvature. This structuring may have applications in the field of robotics (grippers and levers for handling, artificial muscles and tissues, etc.).