Harnessing Ionic Complexity: A Modeling Approach for Hierarchical Ionic Circuit Design

Abstract

Since the 1950s, soft ionic devices have evolved from individual components to an expanding library of sensors, actuators, signal transmitters, and processors. However, integrating these components into complex, multi-functional systems remains challenging due to the non-intuitive and non-linear interactions between ionic elements. In this work, we address these fundamental challenges by developing a lumped element model that enables interrogation of the physics that govern ionic circuits, as well as rapid design and optimization. Our model captures features specific to ionic charge carriers, while preserving the hierarchical design flexibility and computational efficiency of traditional circuit modeling. We demonstrate that our model can not only fit individual device behavior but also accurately predict the behavior of larger circuits formed by combining those devices. Additionally, we show how our tool utilizes the intrinsic non-linearities of ionic systems to enable novel functionality, revealing how factors such as ion enrichment, ion leakage, and polymer charge density influence performance. Finally, we present a fully ionic power supply, sensor, control system, and actuator for a soft robot that adapts its motion in response to environmental salt, illustrating the tool's potential to accelerate advancements in chemical sensing, biointerfacing, biomimetic systems, and adaptive materials.