Magnetic Oxygen-Generating Robots via a Self-Healing Hydrogel-Based Modular Assembly Strategy
Magnetically driven hydrogel robots show promise in biomedical and underwater applications due to remote controllability, flexibility, biocompatibility, and chemical stability. However, limited functional integration restricts their adaptability. Here, a universal modular assembly strategy is introduced using a self-healing κ-carrageenan/polyacrylamide hydrogel embedded with magnetic particles, enabling free assembly of magnetic actuation modules. These modules construct soft robots with complex geometries and magnetization distributions, allowing diverse deformations under magnetic fields. The strategy further integrates photocatalysis by embedding Ru-Bi2CrO6 photocatalysts into functional modules, yielding an oxygen-generating robot. This robot exhibits flexible underwater movement via magnetically controlled oscillatory actuation, minimizing water agitation while supplying stable oxygen to specific aquatic environments. The photocatalytic oxygen evolution rate reaches 389.1 μmol g−1 h−1. The hydrogel skeleton suppresses particle aggregation and sedimentation, and facilitates magnetic recovery. This scalable and adaptable approach advances multifunctional soft robot design.