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Abstract

Plant hydro-actuated systems provide a rich source of inspiration for designing autonomously
morphing devices. One such example, the pentagonal ice plant seed capsule,
achieves complex mechanical actuation which is critically dependent on its hierarchical
organization. The functional core of this actuation system involves the controlled expansion
of a highly swellable cellulosic layer, which is surrounded by a non-swellable honeycomb
framework. In this work, we extract the design principles behind the unfolding of the ice
plant seed capsules, and use two different approaches to develop autonomously deforming
honeycomb devices as a proof of concept. By combining swelling experiments with analytical
and finite element modelling, we elucidate the role of each design parameter on the
actuation of the prototypes. Through these approaches, we demonstrate potential pathways
to design/develop/construct autonomously morphing systems by tailoring and amplifying
the initial material's response to external stimuli through simple geometric design of
the system at two different length scales.