Reprogrammable Phase‐Transition Composites for Adaptive Dynamic Shape Morphing

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.