Hydro‐Gated Photonic Actuators With Programmable Color and Shape
Yujian Liu, Shimin Shao, Hao Mi, Xiang Shang, Meng Wang, Shuai Huang, Zhiyang Liu, Hong YangABSTRACT
Structural color actuators integrating visual readout with motion are prized for biomimicry, yet typically operate in a coupled, color‐gradient mode with limited freedom. Here we report a photonic liquid crystal network that decouples these responses via a scattering‐gated mechanism. The material hides its structural color in the dry state but, upon water uptake, simultaneously switches on vivid coloration and executes programmable three‐dimensional deformation. Crucially, we achieve stimulus‐selective control: ethanol turns on color without motion, while heat induces motion without color. This independent, on‐demand manipulation of optical and mechanical outputs offers a transformative platform for multi‐responsive soft robotics, adaptive camouflage, and smart displays.