# Reprogrammable Phase‐Transition Composites for Adaptive Dynamic Shape Morphing

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a smart material that uses phase transitions to enable robots to dynamically and reprogrammably change shape in a controlled way.

## Contribution

The novelty lies in using reversible solid-liquid and liquid-vapor phase transitions to achieve reprogrammable and local deformation control in robotic materials.

## Key findings

- Phase-transition composites enable reprogrammable and local deformation through controlled stiffness changes.
- The material achieves rapid deformation and shape locking by regulating the order of phase transitions.
- Functional applications demonstrate the effectiveness of the phase-transition deformation modulation mechanism.

## Abstract

Adaptive dynamic deformation has attracted growing attention because of its great significance for robots to adapt to the environment. However, designing a flexible smart material with reprogrammable and local programmable regulation for adaptive dynamic deformation in robotic systems is a substantial challenge. In nature, phase transitions are used to shape biological tissues, modulate growth shape through stiffness changes and provide growth momentum through fluid pressure. Inspired by this, we report a reprogrammable phase‐transition composites that uses the stiffness change induced by reversible solid‐liquid phase transition to program and regulate the material deformation actuated by reversible liquid‐vapor phase transition, thereby achieving adaptive dynamic deformation in a controllable manner. By regulating the order of the two phase transitions, phase‐transition composites can achieve not only reprogrammable deformation and local programmable deformation, but also rapid deformation and shape locking. We have developed a series of functional enhancements and applications using phase‐transition composites, demonstrating the effectiveness of the composite phase‐transition programmed deformation modulation mechanism. This mechanism enables robots to achieve reversible active deformation modulation and reprogrammable deformation modulation, opening a door for robotic systems with adaptive dynamic deformation.

This paper reports a bio‐inspired reprogrammable phase‐transition composites that uses the stiffness change induced by reversible solid‐liquid phase transition to program and regulate the material deformation actuated by reversible liquid‐vapor phase transition, thereby achieving adaptive dynamic deformation in a controllable manner, and enabling reprogrammable deformation, local programmable deformation, rapid deformation and shape locking.