Programmed Sequential Degradation—Towards Eco-Friendly Morphing Interface with Biopolymers and Biohybrid Devices

While it seems counterintuitive to think of degradation happening within an operating device as beneficial, one may argue that when rationally designed, the controlled breakdown of materials—whether physical, chemical, or biological—can be harnessed for specific functions. To apply this principle to the design of morphing interfaces, we introduce the concept of "Degrade to Upgrade" (DtU). This concept aims to create eco-friendly and self-contained morphing interfaces and devices that operate through a sequence of environmentally-triggered degradations. We explore its design considerations and implementation techniques by identifying environmental conditions and degradation types that can be exploited, evaluating potential materials capable of controlled degradation, suggesting designs for structures that can leverage degradation to achieve various transformations and functions, and developing sequential control approaches that integrate degradation triggers. To demonstrate the viability and versatility of this design strategy, we showcase five application examples across a range of environment conditions.