A new way to combine soft materials

Every complex human tool, from the first spear to latest smartphone, has contained multiple materials wedged, tied, screwed, glued or soldered together. But the next generation of tools, from autonomous squishy robots to flexible wearables, will be soft. Combining multiple soft materials into a complex machine requires an entirely new toolbox - after all, there's no such thing as a soft screw. Current methods to combine soft materials are limited, relying on glues or surface treatments that can restrict the manufacturing process. For example, it doesn't make much sense to apply glue or perform surface treatment before each drop of ink falls off during a 3D printing session. But now, researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have developed a new method to chemically bond multiple soft materials independent of the manufacturing process. In principle, the method can be applied in any manufacturing processes, including but 3D printing and coating.