Mechanical engineering articles within Nature Communications

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  • Article
    | Open Access

    Electric fields achieved by applying electrical bias directly between the sliding surfaces are commonly used to tune friction. Here, the authors reveal that friction between graphene and a semiconductor is sensitive to the charge density of graphene while influenced by an indirect electric field.

    • Gus Greenwood
    • , Jin Myung Kim
    •  & Rosa M. Espinosa-Marzal

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In nonlinear tracking control, relevant to robotic applications, the knowledge on the system model may be not available and there is current need in model-free approaches to track a desired trajectory, regular or chaotic. The authors introduce here a framework that employs machine learning to control a two-arm robotic manipulator using only partially observed states.

    • Zheng-Meng Zhai
    • , Mohammadamin Moradi
    •  & Ying-Cheng Lai

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Current droplet manipulation techniques have limitations such as applying to a large scale of volume or of on-demand droplet release. Here using a magnetic actuated Janus origami robot, Jiang et al. present a strategy to achieve omni-manipulation of micro and nanoliter droplets.

    • Shaojun Jiang
    • , Bo Li
    •  & Yanlei Hu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    So far, attempts to prevent droplet rebound rely on augmenting energy dissipation. Here, the authors present that the rebound of hollow droplets is suppressed even on super-repellent surfaces, reminiscent of zero-surface-tension liquid droplets.

    • Ying Zhou
    • , Chenguang Zhang
    •  & Pingan Zhu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Here, Mei and Chen propose an in-memory mechanical computing architecture with simplified and reduced data exchange, where computing occurs within mechanical memory units, to facilitate the design of intelligent mechanical systems.

    • Tie Mei
    •  & Chang Qing Chen

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Animals use dexterous locomotion to hunt for food or flee from danger. Inspired by this strategy, Wang et al. design a soft robot, containing dielectric elastomer artificial muscles and reconfigurable chiral feet, which enables spontaneous change in movement direction in a controlled and reversible way.

    • Dong Wang
    • , Baowen Zhao
    •  & Guoying Gu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In this work, the authors demonstrate that pulse current can effectively be used to reduce delamination damage and residual deformation in 3D orthogonal woven composites, enhancing mechanical properties and damage tolerance.

    • Yan Li
    • , Fusheng Wang
    •  & Laohu Long

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In this work, authors demonstrate a model for non-reciprocal and non-Newtonian mechanical metamaterials by combining the concept of local resonances and fixing boundaries. Via computational models and impact experiments they show that stiffness substantially changes as a function of the loading velocity.

    • Lianchao Wang
    • , Julio A. Iglesias Martínez
    •  & Muamer Kadic

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Experiments show how confined microbubbles in a viscous gel can be controllably moved by means of an acoustic field. Ensembles of such microbubbles can be made to self-assemble into a train-like arrangement, which can trap, transport and release microparticles.

    • Jakub Janiak
    • , Yuyang Li
    •  & Daniel Ahmed

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Song et al. use the weaving principle to overcome load capacity limitations in soft grippers. The woven structure enables exceptional load capacity, supporting up to 100 kg·f with a 130 g·f gripper, while also offering adaptive interactions with objects.

    • Gyeongji Kang
    • , Young-Joo Kim
    •  & Kahye Song

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Soft grippers can emulate human hands, but it remains challenging to achieve multiple capability in manipulating various objects in one design. Hong et al. utilize a kirigami gripper with controllable and programmable trajectories to manipulate objects spanning from ultra-soft to ultra-strong with high precision.

    • Yaoye Hong
    • , Yao Zhao
    •  & Jie Yin

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Shape morphing surfaces demonstrate a wide variety of applications, yet the existing technologies lack high-fidelity, high-speed deformation and embedded state sensing. Johnson et al. integrate soft actuators and soft sensors for high-fidelity shape morphing with self-sensing and high-speed actuation.

    • B. K. Johnson
    • , M. Naris
    •  & M. E. Rentschler

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Actuators provide robot locomotion and manipulation, but most are limited by their number of motion types and coupled motions. Here, Zhang et. al. present an origami actuation module based on a modified Kresling pattern with pneumatically-driven pouches, thus enabling seven motion modes in one module.

    • Chao Zhang
    • , Zhuang Zhang
    •  & Hanqing Jiang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Developing efficient separation methods for oily wastewater holds significant global importance. In this study, the authors combine supewettability and bio-inspired topological structures to demonstrate a dual-bionic superwetting gear system with liquid directional steering to achieve oil-water separation.

    • Zhuoxing Liu
    • , Zidong Zhan
    •  & Zhichao Dong

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Hydrodynamically coupled rotors can be used to describe interactions ranging from molecular machines to atmospheric dynamics. Modin et al. show that optically-driven rotors in a non-tweezing beam can freely diffuse while spinning asynchronously and develop an analytical hydrodynamic model to explain.

    • Alvin Modin
    • , Matan Yah Ben Zion
    •  & Paul M. Chaikin

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Marin-Llaurado and colleagues engineer curved epithelial monolayers of controlled geometry and develop a new technique to map their state of stress. They show that pronounced stress anisotropies influence cell alignment.

    • Ariadna Marín-Llauradó
    • , Sohan Kale
    •  & Xavier Trepat

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Droplets and sharp interfaces at supercritical pressures are interpreted as evidence of surface tension due to phase equilibria in mixtures, given the lack of a supercritical liquid-vapor phase equilibrium in pure fluids. Authors show from first principles and simulations that, unlike in gases or liquids, stable droplets, bubbles, and planar interfaces can exist without surface tension.

    • N. P. Longmire
    • , S. L. Showalter
    •  & D. T. Banuti

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Developing perceptive and adaptable soft robots without compromising mechanical compliance is a challenge. Here, Choe et. al. developed a soft self-sensing tensile valve with a helical pinching mechanism, enabling integrated sensing and control for soft, untethered, and autonomous robotic systems.

    • Jun Kyu Choe
    • , Junsoo Kim
    •  & Jiyun Kim

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Liquid crystal elastomer printing methods are often limited to planar structures. In this work, authors integrate 4D printed structures with fully impregnated composite interfaces to enable programmable deformation ability and high bearing capacity by adjusting the off-centre distribution of the fibres.

    • Qingrui Wang
    • , Xiaoyong Tian
    •  & Dichen Li

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Untethered soft robots developed to date display limited functionalities beyond locomotion and cargo delivery. Here, the authors present a pangolin-inspired robotic design which enables heating > 70 °C at distances > 5 cm without compromising their compliance, for biomedical applications.

    • Ren Hao Soon
    • , Zhen Yin
    •  & Metin Sitti

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Marangoni swimmers have high relative speed, considering the body length and absence of a mechanical system but the fabricating is complex. Song et al. transform simple pen strokes into dynamic, programmable robots that can ‘swim’ with striking versatility.

    • Seo Woo Song
    • , Sumin Lee
    •  & Jiyun Kim

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Most sunlight received by photovoltaic panels is converted to and lost as heat, increasing their temperature and deteriorating their performance. Here, the authors propose a multi-energy generation photovoltaic leaf concept with biomimetic transpiration and demonstrate much improved performance.

    • Gan Huang
    • , Jingyuan Xu
    •  & Christos N. Markides

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Virtual reality technologies need olfactory systems to improve human perception, but their bulky formats limit their practicality. Here, Liu et. al. report flexible and miniaturized odor generators with tunable odor concentration in close user proximity for immersive virtual reality applications.

    • Yiming Liu
    • , Chun Ki Yiu
    •  & Xinge Yu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Despite advances in additive manufacturing of piezoceramics, resultant transducers generally suffer from high porosity, weak piezoelectric responses, and limited geometry. Here, authors report the design and printing of fully packaged freeform ultrasonic transducers capable of traveling inside mm-sized channels and deliver localized high ultrasound energy.

    • Haotian Lu
    • , Huachen Cui
    •  & Xiaoyu (Rayne) Zheng

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The power efficiency of a photovoltaic cell is significantly affected by cell temperature. Here, the authors develop a passive cooling unit with water-saturated zeolite 13X and ammonium nitrate coated on the back of the cell for chain reaction cooling to reduce the average temperature by 15.1 °C.

    • Seonggon Kim
    • , Jong Ha Park
    •  & Yong Tae Kang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In 3D ceramic printing, the need for additional supports can increase processing time and introduce defects during post-processing removal. Here, authors merge direct ink writing and up-conversion particles-assisted photopolymerization under near-infrared irradiation for support-free printing with controlled curing rates reducing material waste, printing time, and post-processing steps.

    • Yongqin Zhao
    • , Junzhe Zhu
    •  & Ren Liu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Soft friction remains elusive due to the complication at microscales where the elastic forces are comparable to capillarity and adhesion. Glover et al. show that a moving microparticle can induce a cease at the leading front of the underlying soft surface as a result of a build-up of compressive stress.

    • Justin D. Glover
    • , Xingwei Yang
    •  & Jonathan T. Pham

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Boiling crisis is a physical phenomenon limiting the operation of many technologies cooled by boiling. Zhang et al. reveal theoretically and experimentally the existence of a unifying criterion to explain and predict the boiling crisis.

    • Limiao Zhang
    • , Chi Wang
    •  & Matteo Bucci

  • Article
    | Open Access

    A challenge in making a flexible mold stamp using roll-to-roll nanoimprint lithography is to increase area while minimizing perceptible seams. Here, based on Fourier spectral analysis of moiré patterns resulting from superposed identical patterns, a method that enables the fabrication of scalable, quasi-seamless functional surfaces without the use of alignment marks is proposed.

    • Woo Young Kim
    • , Bo Wook Seo
    •  & Young Tae Cho

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Simulation of naturalistic driving environment for autonomous vehicle development is challenging due to its complexity and high dimensionality. The authors develop a deep learning-based framework to model driving behavior including safety-critical events for improved training of autonomous vehicles.

    • Xintao Yan
    • , Zhengxia Zou
    •  & Henry X. Liu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Small-scale manipulation of liquids is being controlled with bulky pumps or power sources. Dradrach et al. show a light-driven pumping of micro-liter liquid using a centimeter-long liquid crystal elastomer strip.

    • Klaudia Dradrach
    • , Michał Zmyślony
    •  & Piotr Wasylczyk

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Here, the authors utilise a combination of quasi-spherical theory and Jahn-Teller distortion to enhance the piezoelectric response of molecular metal halides, and the resulting piezoelectric energy harvesters exhibit superior power densities to the best-reported molecular hybrid energy harvesters.

    • Sasa Wang
    • , Asif Abdullah Khan
    •  & Edward H. Sargent

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Origami-inspired engineering has enabled intelligent materials and structures to react to environments, yet a complete sense-decide-act autonomous loop is still challenging. Yan et al. introduce autonomous origami robots by embedding sensing, computing, and actuating in compliant, conductive materials.

    • Wenzhong Yan
    • , Shuguang Li
    •  & Ankur Mehta

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The application of two-photon lithography has been limited by the low writing speed. The authors reported a multi-focus improved lithography platform that employs up to 2000 laser foci to perform parallel fabrication with 90 nm resolution via optimised polymerisation and single-pulse printing strategy.

    • Wenqi Ouyang
    • , Xiayi Xu
    •  & Shih-Chi Chen

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