Open Access

REVIEW

MXene-Based Moisture-Responsive Actuators: Preparation and Applications

Jia-Nan Ma^1,2,*, Yuan Liu¹, Jia-Hui Zhang², Qian Zhao², Ling Wang^1,*

1 School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
2 Shanxi Key Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence & Micro Nano Sensors, College of Integrated Circuits, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, 030024, China

* Corresponding Authors: Jia-Nan Ma. Email: ; Ling Wang. Email:

Journal of Polymer Materials 2025, 42(4), 909-927. https://doi.org/10.32604/jpm.2025.071607

Received 08 August 2025; Accepted 25 September 2025; Issue published 26 December 2025

Abstract

MXene (Ti₃C₂Tx) is known for its excellent hydrophilicity, electrical conductivity, and dispersibility. It is a promising candidate for the fabrication of moisture-responsive actuators due to the strong interaction between MXene sheets and water molecules. Inspired by natural organisms, a variety of moisture-actuated soft robots have been successfully developed through the systematic integration of MXene-based actuators. This minireview summarizes recent advances in the preparation and applications of MXene-based moisture-responsive actuators. The hydrophilic properties of MXene, along with design principles, working mechanisms, current progress, and applications of MXene-based actuators, are discussed. The future prospects and developmental directions of MXene-based moisture-responsive actuators are put forward, providing novel insights for their further advancement in the realm of automatable smart devices.

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Keywords

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