Bioinspired Coupling of Inorganic Layered Nanomaterials with Marine Polysaccharides for Efficient Aqueous Exfoliation and Smart Actuating Hybrids.

WS2 and marine alginate are perfectly coupled to ensure scalable production of exfoliated WS2 with unprecedented efficiency, further providing super mechanical properties and the photothermal effect to their composites. Combined with the water-intake and cation-binding capabilities of alginate, biomimetic soft devices are designed with stimuli-responsiveness and actuating properties, capable of serving as a photo-driven motor, a walking robot, and a gripper.