Programmable Soft Robotics Advance via Dynamic Molecular Assembly
Led by Associate Professor Taisuke Banno, the team included Dr. Tomoya Kojima from Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology and Ph.D. student Shoi Sasaki. Their study, published August 7, 2025, in Accounts of Materials Research, describes how noncovalent forces such as hydrophobic, electrostatic, and hydrogen bonding enable molecular assemblies to adapt, reorganize, and process chemical information.
The researchers presented three core principles: motility, phase transition, and prototissue formation. Motility at the micrometer scale was accomplished through reactive oil droplets in water, moving autonomously by changes in interfacial tension - a process driven by the Marangoni effect. These droplets demonstrated directional and collective movement in response to stimuli, simulating microbial swarms and potentially serving as microscale robots for sensing or delivery.
For phase transition, supramolecular assemblies switched between micelles, vesicles, or gels when exposed to triggers like light or pH. These changes were reversible or irreversible and are similar to biological adaptability. Combining chemical reactions and structural changes can enable self-healing materials and precision drug-release platforms.
Prototissue formation involved assembling multiple vesicle-like structures into larger tissue analogues. These groups displayed reversible collective motion and inter-compartment communication, echoing the behavior of living tissues. This approach allows soft materials to self-organize and repair without external direction.
Dr. Banno stated, "In nature, organisms achieve complex behaviors such as motility, signaling, and regeneration through coordinated molecular recognition, signal processing, and actuation." He emphasized that supramolecular robotics extends molecular robotics by leveraging noncovalent interactions for adaptive, life-like functionality.
Looking forward, adaptive molecular assemblies may be applied in targeted drug delivery, environmental clean-up, and soft robotics. Supramolecular chemistry combined with systems engineering shows promise for creating materials that move, sense, and evolve, supporting future therapeutic, scientific, and industrial advances.
Research Report:Toward Supramolecular Robotics: Molecular Strategies for Adaptive Soft Materials
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