A robust anisotropic light-responsive hydrogel for ultrafast and complex biomimetic actuation via poly(pyrrole)-coated electrospun nanofiber

Wei, Xianshuo; Xue, Yuan; Sun, Ye; Chen, Lian; Zhang, Chunmei; Wu, Qijun; Peng, Shuyi; Ma, Chunxin; Liu, Zhenzhong; Jiang, Shaohua; Yang, Xuxu; Agarwal, Seema; Duan, Gaigai

doi:10.1016/j.cej.2022.139373

Cited by 30 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…This value can be compared to 2000 times its weight for a cross-linked polymer hydrogel with a 45% water content in the reference state [5] or 100 times its weight for a bending hydrogel actuator. [19] It is unclear why the cross-linked polymer hydrogel was not compared to the dried state in other work, but it is likely difficult to dry a cross-linked polymer network into a flat sheet, and the dried state is thus not a practical initial state for actuation. The ability to fully dry the nanofibril hydrogel into thin sheets is thus another advantage of anisotropic fibrillar networks, allowing for high actuation strain and efficient storage and transportation.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrafast, High‐Strain, and Strong Uniaxial Hydrogel Actuators from Recyclable Nanofibril Networks

2023

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Polymer hydrogels mimic biological tissues and are suitable for future lifelike machines. However, their actuation is isotropic, so they must be crosslinked or placed in a turgor membrane to achieve high actuation pressures, severely impeding their performance. Here, it is shown that organizing cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) in anisotropic hydrogel sheets leads to mechanical in-plane reinforcement that generates a uniaxial, out-of-plane strain with performance far surpassing polymer hydrogels. These fibrillar hydrogel actuators expand uniaxially by 250 times with an initial rate of 100-130% s −1 , compared to <10 times and <1% s −1 in directional strain rate for isotropic hydrogels, respectively. The blocking pressure reaches 0.9 MPa, similar to turgor actuators, while the time to reach 90% of the maximum pressure is 1-2 min, compared to 10 min to hours for polymer hydrogel actuators. Uniaxial actuators that lift objects 120 000 times their weight and soft grippers are showcased. In addition, the hydrogels can be recycled without a loss in performance. The uniaxial swelling allows adding channels through the gel for local solvent delivery, further increasing the actuation rate and cyclability. Thus, fibrillar networks can overcome the major drawbacks of hydrogel actuators and is a significant advancement towards hydrogel-based lifelike machines.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrafast, High‐Strain, and Strong Uniaxial Hydrogel Actuators from Recyclable Nanofibril Networks

2023

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“…(d) Bending process diagram of the hydrogel actuator under 3 W NIR light and (e) recovery process diagram in water at 10 °C. (f) The light-response speed of the hydrogel actuators was compared with other studies (1: ref ; 2: ref ; 3: ref ; 4: ref ; 5: ref ; 6: ref ; 7: ref ; 8: this work). (g) Bending/recovery cycle test of 150 times of the composite hydrogel actuator under NIR light.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Remotely Controlled Light/Electric/Magnetic Multiresponsive Hydrogel for Fast Actuations

Wei

Chen

et al. 2023

ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces

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As a kind of soft smart material, hydrogel actuators have extensive development prospects, but it is still difficult for these actuators to integrate multiresponsiveness, multiple remote actuation, high strength, fast responsiveness, and programmable complex deformation. Herein, we have explored an anisotropic bilayer hydrogel actuator with an Fe 3 O 4 /co-poly-(isopropylacrylamide-4-benzoylphenyl acrylate) [Fe 3 O 4 /P-(NIPAM-ABP)] active layer and an isotropic conductive adhesive (ICAs) passive layer based on the layer-by-layer method. Benefiting from the fibrosis and porosity of the Fe 3 O 4 / P(NIPAM-ABP) hydrogel, the ICAs-Fe 3 O 4 /P(NIPAM-ABP) hydrogel actuator has excellent mechanical strength (tensile strength of 3.1 ± 0.3 MPa) and response speed (temperature (45 °C): bending speed of 2400.3°/s; near-infrared (NIR) light: bending speed of 356.4°/s; electricity (2 V): bending speed of 180°/s; water (10 °C): recovery speed of 30.0°/s). In addition, the good photothermal properties and magnetic conductivity of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles provide precise remotely controllable light-and magnetic-actuated properties for the hydrogel actuator. The Ag microsheets with excellent conductivity (1.4 × 10 4 S/cm) provide remotely controllable electrical-actuated property for the hydrogel actuator. Combined with the responsiveness of P(NIPAM-ABP), the actuator can achieve short-range actuation including temperature-, ethanol-, and salt-responses. More importantly, it can achieve remote actuation including light, electrical, and magnetic responses. Finally, the Fe 3 O 4 /P(NIPAM-ABP) fibers can provide excellent anisotropic structures for the actuator to achieve precise deformational programmability. Inspired by some phenomena in nature, several actuating devices with the above characteristics have been successfully developed. This study can provide a general method for multifunctional anisotropic hydrogel actuators and will provide a new strategy for exploring smart materials suitable for complex bioinspired systems.

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“…1,2 A wide range of materials that undergo reversible physical/chemical change in their properties upon exposure to light, magnetic fields, electricity, temperature, pH, and chemical stimuli have been studied and incorporated into fibers for soft robotic and sensing applications. 1,3,4 Such fibers, their fabrication, and their applications have been recently reviewed elsewhere. 1,5 Fibers on the order of 10−100 μm 1 can be woven 6 or knit into traditional textiles.…”

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Smart, responsive fibers have many potential applications in health care, personal protection, etc. , A wide range of materials that undergo reversible physical/chemical change in their properties upon exposure to light, magnetic fields, electricity, temperature, pH, and chemical stimuli have been studied and incorporated into fibers for soft robotic and sensing applications. ,, Such fibers, their fabrication, and their applications have been recently reviewed elsewhere. , Fibers on the order of 10–100 μm can be woven or knit into traditional textiles . For example, temperature-responsive fibers have been achieved by coating black filament with thermochromic liquid crystals. , The ∼100 μm fibers could then be woven or knit into larger structures. , Reducing fiber size can enhance the dynamic properties of the responsive materials (e.g., response time) .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temperature-Responsive Structurally Colored Fibers via Blend Electrospinning

Williams

Wimberly

Stwodah

et al. 2023

ACS Appl. Polym. Mater.

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Achieving fibers that change color with temperature may be promising for applications such as sensors and smart wearable textiles (woven and nonwoven). In this study, temperature-responsive cholesteryl ester liquid crystal formulations were blended with polycaprolactone or polystyrene using chloroform as a solvent for electrospinning to achieve thermochromic nonwoven products. Using polystyrene, beaded fibers were achieved and the thermochromic behavior was only observed under polarized light microscopy. To achieve fibers with visible thermochromic behavior observed by a video camera or smart phone, polycaprolactone was used as a carrier polymer. The comparison between polystyrene and polycaprolactone provides insight into polymer/solvent selection achieving responsive materials via blend processing. High loadings of liquid crystal were achieved with polycaprolactone, blends of 10 wt % polycaprolactone with 15 wt % liquid crystal formed fibers (fiber contained 60 wt % liquid crystal). Colored fibers could be achieved by varying the formulation of the liquid crystal. For example, liquid crystal formulations that were green at ambient conditions resulted in fibers that were green at ambient conditions (22 °C). Nonwoven fibers with dynamic color with temperature were also demonstrated. For example, liquid crystal formulations were colorless at ambient conditions and underwent a reversible color change from red to blue when heated and cooled between 32 and 37 °C. When incorporated into fibers, the fiber mats changed from white at ambient conditions to red at 32 °C to blue at 37 °C. The color change was reversible over multiple cycles.

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A robust anisotropic light-responsive hydrogel for ultrafast and complex biomimetic actuation via poly(pyrrole)-coated electrospun nanofiber

Cited by 30 publications

References 69 publications

Ultrafast, High‐Strain, and Strong Uniaxial Hydrogel Actuators from Recyclable Nanofibril Networks

Ultrafast, High‐Strain, and Strong Uniaxial Hydrogel Actuators from Recyclable Nanofibril Networks

Remotely Controlled Light/Electric/Magnetic Multiresponsive Hydrogel for Fast Actuations

Temperature-Responsive Structurally Colored Fibers via Blend Electrospinning

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