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Soft Magnetite–PEDOT:PSS Composite Microactuator Fabrication via Meniscus‐Assisted 3D Printing

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Soft microrobots are gaining interest in various fields including microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), bioelectronics, and soft robotics due to their adaptable and compliant motion at the microscale. Magnetic soft microactuators often require a balance between mechanical robustness and magnetic responsiveness, which can be challenging to achieve simultaneously. Here, a magnetically controlled soft micro actuator based on a composite of magnetite and PEDOT:PSS (poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)) is presented, fabricated using a meniscus‐assisted microfabrication technique. In this design, the PEDOT:PSS layer provides structural flexibility while the magnetite layer enables precise magnetic actuation. The fabrication method ensures high spatial precision and surface compatibility, allowing the actuator to be integrated onto various substrates. Experimental results confirm stable, reversible, and tunable motion under an external magnetic field, with a linear displacement response of 0.20°/V. The actuator's flexibility and reliability make it promising for soft robotic manipulation, bioelectronics, and micromanipulation applications. This study paves the way for advanced, magnetically responsive microactuators in next‐generation MEMS and biomedical systems.

Source: Advanced Materials Technologies

DOI: 10.1002/admt.202501312