Bioinspired Smart Actuator Based on Graphene Oxide-Polymer Hybrid Hydrogels

Abstract

Rapid response and strong mechanical properties are desired for smart materials used in soft actuators. A bioinspired hybrid hydrogel actuator was designed and prepared by series combination of three trunks of tough polymer-clay hydrogels to accomplish the comprehensive actuation of "extension-grasp-retraction" like a fishing rod. The hydrogels with thermo-creep and thermo-shrinking features were successively irradiated by near-infrared (NIR) to execute extension and retraction, respectively. The GO in the hydrogels absorbed the NIR energy and transformed it into thermo-energy rapidly and effectively. The hydrogel with adhesion or magnetic force was adopted as the "hook" of the hybrid hydrogel actuator for grasping object. The hook of the hybrid hydrogel actuator was replaceable according to applications, even with functional materials other than hydrogels. This study provides an innovative concept to explore new soft actuators through combining response hydrogels and programming the same stimulus.

Multiple Shape Memory, Self-Healable, and Supertough PAA-GO-Fe3+Hydrogel

“…On the other hand, functional graphene oxide (GO) has been used in hydrogels to improve their mechanical properties. The hydrogen bonding between GO sheet and polymer chains served as the physical cross‐linking, which efficiently improved the mechanical properties with other functions, such as self‐healing and conductivity with reduction of GO …”

Recent Progress of Graphene‐Containing Polymer Hydrogels: Preparations, Properties, and Applications

“…The driving process of hydrogel actuator is generally realized by the swelling or deswelling guided by the response to the environment changes, including temperature, pH, light and electric field, etc. Because graphene has been proved to have the ability of high photothermal conversion efficiency, light‐responsive graphene‐containing hydrogels have been widely reported …”

“…This kind of hydrogel with GO makes it possible to prepare a kind of actuator material with high mechanical properties that can be controlled by IR without direct contact ( Figure ). According to the enlightenment of fishing rod and human arm, Tong and co‐workers also designed another nanocomposite hydrogel driver, which consists of three serial PNIPAM–clay–GO hydrogel. With the exposure to NIR, the trunk's thermal creep and thermal shrink features are respectively used to drive the movement of extension and retraction and the adhesive or magnetic functions of the hydrogels can be used as hooks to catch the object ( Figure ).…”

“…c) Actuation of the hybrid hydrogel actuator with a magnetic hook (part III) guided by magnetic force. Reproduced with permission . Copyright 2015, ACS.…”

Design of a nanoporous interfacial SiO2layer in polysiloxane–graphene oxide nanocomposites for efficient stress transmission

“…Graphene oxide (GEO), 34 the derivative of graphene, has a great potential for developing high performance polysiloxane and other polymer nanocomposites due to adjustable structure and fascinating properties of elasticity, stiffness, prestress [35][36][37][38] and so on. However, the compatibility of GEO with polysiloxane is still an unwell solved problem which has limited the depth application of GEO.…”