Capillary Logic Circuits in Deformable Networks for Fluidic Computing

Soft polymer networks can couple elasticity, interfacial chemistry, and capillary forces to create systems that both transport liquids and compute. We present a framework of capillary logic circuits in elastomers, where strain-responsive elements regulate spontaneous wetting to perform deterministic logic. Unlike conventional closed microfluidics, these open networks operate without pumps, using capillarity as the driving force and mechanical compliance as the control knob.

Three elastomeric units form the basis of computation: liquid Zener diodes that rectify flow yet exhibit threshold “breakdown” under compression, mechanically gated switches that block transport by compression, and fluidic resistors that delay liquid propagation. By arranging these modules, we realize liquid analogues of electronic logic gates (AND, OR, NOT, XOR) and assemble them into half-adder and full-adder circuits, demonstrating arithmetic computation in soft matter. 

The circuits exhibit anisotropic, non-reciprocal, and history-dependent responses, linking meniscus physics with polymer mechanics to enable memory and tunability. This coupling allows capillary states to serve as information carriers, establishing a new modality of fluidic computing in capillary networks. Such systems offer routes to programmable lab-on-a-chip devices, adaptive biochemical assays, and soft robotic controllers that process information directly through liquid transport rather than electronics.