  The research fields of microfluidics and soft robotics both involve complex
small-scale internal channel networks, embedded within a solid structure. This
work examines leveraging viscous peeling as a mechanism to create and activate
soft actuators and microchannel networks, including complex elements such as
valves, without the need for fabrication of structures with micron-scale
internal cavities. We consider configurations composed of an internal slender
structure embedded within another elastic solid. Pressurized viscous fluid is
introduced into the interface between the two solids, thus peeling the two
elastic structures and creating internal cavities. Since the gap between the
solids is determined by the externally applied pressure, the characteristic
size of the fluidic network may vary in time and be much smaller than the
resolution of the fabrication method. This work presents a model for the highly
nonlinear elastic-viscous dynamics governing the flow and deformation of such
configurations. Fabrication and experimental demonstrations of micron-scale
valves and channel-networks created from millimeter scale structures are
presented, as well as the transient dynamics of viscous peeling based soft
actuators. The experimental data is compared with the suggested model, showing
very good agreement.
