Work

Dual‐Mode Magnetic Elastomer for On‐Demand Motion and Degradation

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Stimuli‐responsive materials that integrate environmental sensing, actuation, and programmed degradation are emerging as transformative platforms for adaptive technologies. Particularly, multifunctional materials capable of switching stimulus modes achieve simplified architectures, rapid response, and enhanced integration, providing a route toward compact and efficient materials design. Here, we present a dual‐mode switchable magnetic composite that uniquely achieves both shape actuation and on‐demand degradation via frequency‐selective control. By combining DC‐field driven shape reconfiguration with ferromagnetic resonance‐driven magnetothermal heating, the composite exhibits ultrafast response, exceeding 200°C within a second, two to three orders of magnitude faster than conventional magnetic heating, to induce rapid degradation of a silicone elastomer matrix embedded with Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles. Importantly, the composite maintains flexibility and durability, showing an elongation at break above 460% comparable to elastomeric actuators, enabling ultrafast, spatiotemporally controlled degradation without auxiliary triggers. This mechanism establishes a simplified yet powerful paradigm for lifecycle‐aware soft materials, with applications in confined‐space soft robotics, secure transient electronics, and programmable matter. Overall, this work proposes a novel approach to next‐generation multifunctional materials by unifying actuation, degradation, and adaptive control within a single compact platform, demonstrating a versatile strategy for highly integrated smart materials using biocompatible and remotely deliverable magnetic fields as safe stimuli.

Source: Advanced Functional Materials

DOI: 10.1002/adfm.75790