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Yang G, Dong L, Ren M, Cui B, Yuan X, Wang X, Li Y, Li W, Qiao G, Shao Y, Li W, Wang X, Xu P, Fang H, Di J, Li Q. Coiled Carbon Nanotube Fibers Sheathed by a Reinforced Liquid Crystal Elastomer for Strong and Programmable Artificial Muscles. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:9608-9616. [PMID: 39012768 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c02239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
Fibers of liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) as promising artificial muscle show ultralarge and reversible contractile strokes. However, the contractile force is limited by the poor mechanical properties of the LCE fibers. Herein, we report high-strength LCE fibers by introducing a secondary network into the single-network LCE. The double-network LCE (DNLCE) shows considerable improvements in tensile strength (313.9%) and maximum actuation stress (342.8%) compared to pristine LCE. To facilitate the controllability and application, a coiled artificial muscle fiber consisting of DNLCE-coated carbon nanotube (CNT) fiber is prepared. When electrothermally driven, the artificial muscle fiber outputs a high actuation performance and programmable actuation. Furthermore, by knitting the artificial muscle fibers into origami structures, an intelligent gripper and crawling inchworm robot have been demonstrated. These demonstrations provide promising application scenarios for advanced intelligent systems in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang Yang
- School of Nano-Technology and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Advanced Materials Division, Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Smart Systems, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Lizhong Dong
- Advanced Materials Division, Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Smart Systems, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Ming Ren
- Advanced Materials Division, Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Smart Systems, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Bo Cui
- Advanced Materials Division, Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Smart Systems, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Xiaojie Yuan
- Advanced Materials Division, Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Smart Systems, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Xiaobo Wang
- School of Nano-Technology and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Advanced Materials Division, Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Smart Systems, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Yuxin Li
- School of Nano-Technology and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Advanced Materials Division, Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Smart Systems, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Wei Li
- Advanced Materials Division, Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Smart Systems, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Guanlong Qiao
- Advanced Materials Division, Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Smart Systems, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Yunfeng Shao
- School of Nano-Technology and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Advanced Materials Division, Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Smart Systems, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Weiwei Li
- Advanced Materials Division, Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Smart Systems, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Xiaona Wang
- School of Nano-Technology and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Advanced Materials Division, Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Smart Systems, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Panpan Xu
- School of Nano-Technology and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Advanced Materials Division, Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Smart Systems, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Hongbin Fang
- Institute of AI and Robotics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Jiangtao Di
- School of Nano-Technology and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Advanced Materials Division, Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Smart Systems, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Qingwen Li
- School of Nano-Technology and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Advanced Materials Division, Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Smart Systems, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
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2
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van Hazendonk L, Khalil ZJ, van Grondelle W, Wijkhuijs LEA, Schreur-Piet I, Debije MG, Friedrich H. Hot Fingers: Individually Addressable Graphene-Heater Actuated Liquid Crystal Grippers. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:32739-32747. [PMID: 38869014 PMCID: PMC11212024 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c06130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Liquid crystal-based actuators are receiving increased attention for their applications in wearables and biomedical or surgical devices, with selective actuation of individual parts/fingers still being in its infancy. This work presents the design and realization of two gripper devices with four individually addressable liquid-crystal network (LCN) actuators thermally driven via printed graphene-based heating elements. The resistive heat causes the all-organic actuator to bend due to anisotropic volume expansions of the splay-aligned sample. A heat transfer model that includes all relevant interfaces is presented and verified via thermal imaging, which provides good estimates of dimensions, power production, and resistance required to reach the desired temperature for actuation while maintaining safe electrical potentials. The LCN films displace up to 11 mm with a bending force of 1.10 mN upon application of 0-15 V potentials. The robustness of the LCN finger is confirmed by repetitive on/off switching for 500 cycles. Actuators are assembled into two prototypes able to grip and lift objects of small weights (70-100 mg) and perform complex actions by individually controlling one of the device's fingers to grip an additional object. Selective actuation of parts in soft robotic devices will enable more complex motions and actions to be performed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura
S. van Hazendonk
- Laboratory
of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemical
Engineering and Chemistry Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. box 513, Eindhoven 5600 MB, The Netherlands
- Institute
for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven
University of Technology, P.O. box 513, Eindhoven 5600 MB, The Netherlands
| | - Zafeiris J. Khalil
- Laboratory
of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemical
Engineering and Chemistry Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. box 513, Eindhoven 5600 MB, The Netherlands
| | - Wilko van Grondelle
- Laboratory
of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemical
Engineering and Chemistry Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. box 513, Eindhoven 5600 MB, The Netherlands
| | - Levina E. A. Wijkhuijs
- Laboratory
of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemical
Engineering and Chemistry Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. box 513, Eindhoven 5600 MB, The Netherlands
- Institute
for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven
University of Technology, P.O. box 513, Eindhoven 5600 MB, The Netherlands
| | - Ingeborg Schreur-Piet
- Laboratory
of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemical
Engineering and Chemistry Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. box 513, Eindhoven 5600 MB, The Netherlands
- Center
for Multiscale Electron Microscopy, Department of Chemical Engineering
and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. box 513, Eindhoven 5600 MB, The Netherlands
| | - Michael G. Debije
- Institute
for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven
University of Technology, P.O. box 513, Eindhoven 5600 MB, The Netherlands
- Stimuli-responsive
Functional Materials and Devices (SFD), Department of Chemical Engineering
and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. box 513, Eindhoven 5600 MB, The Netherlands
| | - Heiner Friedrich
- Laboratory
of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemical
Engineering and Chemistry Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. box 513, Eindhoven 5600 MB, The Netherlands
- Institute
for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven
University of Technology, P.O. box 513, Eindhoven 5600 MB, The Netherlands
- Center
for Multiscale Electron Microscopy, Department of Chemical Engineering
and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. box 513, Eindhoven 5600 MB, The Netherlands
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3
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Cheng M, Cai W, Wang Z, Chen L, Yuan D, Ma Z, Bai Z, Kong D, Cen M, Xu S, Srivastava AK, Liu YJ. Responsive Liquid Crystal Network Microstructures with Customized Shapes and Predetermined Morphing for Adaptive Soft Micro-Optics. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:31776-31787. [PMID: 38858834 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c04275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Stimuli-responsive materials have garnered substantial interest in recent years, particularly liquid crystal networks (LCNs) with sophisticatedly designed structures and morphing capabilities. Extensive efforts have been devoted to LCN structural designs spanning from two-dimensional (2D) to three-dimensional (3D) configurations and their intricate morphing behaviors through designed alignment. However, achieving microscale structures and large-area preparation necessitates the development of novel techniques capable of facilely fabricating LCN microstructures with precise control over both overall shape and alignment, enabling a 3D-to-3D shape change. Herein, a simple and cost-effective in-cell soft lithography (ICSL) technique is proposed to create LCN microstructures with customized shapes and predesigned morphing. The ICSL technique involves two sequential steps: fabricating the desired microstructure as the template by using the photopolymerization-induced phase separation (PIPS) method and reproducing the LCN microstructures through templating. Meanwhile, surface anchoring is employed to design and achieve molecular alignment, accommodating different deformation modes. With the proposed ICSL technique, cylindrical and spherical microlens arrays (CMLAs and SMLAs) have been successfully fabricated with stimulus-driven polarization-dependent focusing effects. This technique offers distinct advantages including high customizability, large-area production, and cost-effectiveness, which pave a new avenue for extensive applications in different fields, exemplified by adaptive soft micro-optics and photonics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Cheng
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen Engineering Research Center for High Resolution Light Field Display and Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- State Key Laboratory of Optical Fiber and Cable Manufacture Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Displays and Optoelectronics Technologies, and Centre for Display Research, Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Wenfeng Cai
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen Engineering Research Center for High Resolution Light Field Display and Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- State Key Laboratory of Optical Fiber and Cable Manufacture Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhenming Wang
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen Engineering Research Center for High Resolution Light Field Display and Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- State Key Laboratory of Optical Fiber and Cable Manufacture Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen Engineering Research Center for High Resolution Light Field Display and Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- State Key Laboratory of Optical Fiber and Cable Manufacture Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Dandan Yuan
- Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zongjun Ma
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen Engineering Research Center for High Resolution Light Field Display and Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- State Key Laboratory of Optical Fiber and Cable Manufacture Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Ziyan Bai
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen Engineering Research Center for High Resolution Light Field Display and Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- State Key Laboratory of Optical Fiber and Cable Manufacture Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Delai Kong
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen Engineering Research Center for High Resolution Light Field Display and Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- State Key Laboratory of Optical Fiber and Cable Manufacture Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Mengjia Cen
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen Engineering Research Center for High Resolution Light Field Display and Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- State Key Laboratory of Optical Fiber and Cable Manufacture Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Shaolin Xu
- Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Abhishek Kumar Srivastava
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Displays and Optoelectronics Technologies, and Centre for Display Research, Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Yan Jun Liu
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen Engineering Research Center for High Resolution Light Field Display and Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- State Key Laboratory of Optical Fiber and Cable Manufacture Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
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Liu J, Li C, Jia P, Hao J, Gao L, Wang J, Jiang L. Large-Scale, Vertically Aligned 2D Subnanochannel Arrays by a Smectic Liquid Crystal Network for High-Performance Osmotic Energy Conversion. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2313695. [PMID: 38452281 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202313695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
The osmotic energy, an abundant renewable energy source, can be directly converted to electricity by nanofluidic devices with ion-selective membranes. 2D nanochannels constructed by nanosheets possess abundant lateral interfacial ion-exchange sites and exhibit great superiority in nanofluidic devices. However, the most accessible orientation of the 2D nanochannels is parallel to the membrane surface, undoubtedly resulting in the conductivity loss. Herein, first vertically aligned 2D subnanochannel arrays self-assembled by a smectic liquid crystal (LC) network that exhibit high-performance osmotic energy conversion are demonstrated. The 2D subnanochannel arrays are fabricated by in situ photopolymerization of monomers in the LC phase. The as-prepared membrane exhibits excellent water-resistance and mechanical strength. The 2D subnanochannels with excellent cation selectivity and conductivity show high-performance osmotic energy conversion. The power density reaches up to about 22.5 W m-2 with NaCl solution under a 50-fold concentration gradient, which is among with ultrahigh power density. This membrane design concept provides promising applications in osmotic energy conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junchao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Materials and Interfaces Sciences, Technique Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Sciences, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710048, China
| | - Chao Li
- Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Pan Jia
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nanomaterials, College of Chemistry and Material Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, 050024, China
| | - JunRan Hao
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Materials and Interfaces Sciences, Technique Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Longcheng Gao
- Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Jingxia Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Materials and Interfaces Sciences, Technique Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- Center of Material Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101407, China
- School of Future Technologies, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101407, China
| | - Lei Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Materials and Interfaces Sciences, Technique Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Future Technologies, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101407, China
- Ji Hua Laboratory, Foshan, Guangdong Province, 528000, China
- Binzhou Institute of Technology, Binzhou, Shandong Province, 256600, China
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5
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Xu L, Zhu C, Lamont S, Zou X, Yang Y, Chen S, Ding J, Vernerey FJ. Programming Motion into Materials Using Electricity-Driven Liquid Crystal Elastomer Actuators. Soft Robot 2024; 11:464-472. [PMID: 38265749 DOI: 10.1089/soro.2023.0063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
As thermally driven smart materials capable of large reversible deformations, liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) have great potential for applications in bionic soft robots, artificial muscles, controllable actuators, and flexible sensors due to their ability to program controllable motion into materials. In this article, we introduce conductive LCE actuators using a liquid metal electrothermal layer and a polyethylene terephthalate substrate. Our LCE actuators can be stimulated at low currents from 2 to 4 A and produce a maximum work density of 9.4 k J ∕ m 3 . We illustrate the potential applications of this system by designing a palm-activated artificial muscle gripper, which can be used to grasp soft objects ranging from 5 to 55 mm in size, and even ring-shaped workpieces with precise external or internal support. Furthermore, inspired by the movement of fruit fly larvae, we designed a new soft robot capable of bioinspired crawling and turning by inducing anisotropic friction with an asymmetric design. Finally, we illustrate advanced motional control by designing an autonomously rotating wheel based on the asymmetric contraction of its spokes. To assist in the production of autonomously moving robots, we provide a thorough characterization of its motion dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Xu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, PR China
- State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, PR China
| | - Chen Zhu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, PR China
| | - Samuel Lamont
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science & Engineering Program, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Xiang Zou
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, PR China
| | - Yabing Yang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, PR China
| | - Si Chen
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, PR China
| | - Jianning Ding
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, PR China
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, PR China
| | - Franck J Vernerey
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science & Engineering Program, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
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6
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Zhang J, Liu S, Wang X, Zhang X, Hu X, Zhang L, Sun Q, Liu X. 4D Printable liquid crystal elastomers with restricted nanointerfacial slippage for long-term-cyclic-stability photothermal actuation. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2024; 11:2483-2493. [PMID: 38477135 DOI: 10.1039/d3mh02230g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) blended with photothermal nanofillers can reversibly and rapidly deform their shapes under external optical stimuli. However, nanointerfacial slipping inevitably occurs between the LCE molecules and the nanofillers due to their weak physical interactions, eventually resulting in cyclic instability. This work presents a versatile strategy to fabricate nanointerfacial-slipping-restricted photoactuation elastomers by chemically bonding the nanofillers into a thermally actuatable liquid crystal network. We experimentally and theoretically investigated three types of metal-based nanofillers, including zero-dimensional (0D) nanoparticles, one-dimensional (1D) nanowires, and two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets. The toughly crosslinked nanointerface allows for remarkably promoted interfacial thermal conductivity and stress transfer. Therefore, the resultant actuators enable the realization of long-term-cyclic-stability 4D-printed flexible intelligent systems such as the optical gripper, crawling robot, light-powered self-sustained windmill, butterflies with fluttering wings, and intelligent solar energy collection system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juzhong Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis, Optimization and CAE Software for Industrial Equipment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| | - Shuiren Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis, Optimization and CAE Software for Industrial Equipment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| | - Xianghong Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis, Optimization and CAE Software for Industrial Equipment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| | - Xiaomeng Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis, Optimization and CAE Software for Industrial Equipment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| | - Xiaoguang Hu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis, Optimization and CAE Software for Industrial Equipment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| | - Linlin Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis, Optimization and CAE Software for Industrial Equipment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| | - Qingqing Sun
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis, Optimization and CAE Software for Industrial Equipment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| | - Xuying Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis, Optimization and CAE Software for Industrial Equipment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
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7
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Xu Z, Zhu Y, Ai Y, Zhou D, Wu F, Li C, Chen L. Programmable, Self-Healable, and Photochromic Liquid Crystal Elastomers Based on Dynamic Hindered Urea Bonds for Biomimetic Flowers. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024:e2400520. [PMID: 38733234 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202400520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Recently, researchers have been exploring the use of dynamic covalent bonds (DCBs) in the construction of exchangeable liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) for biomimetic actuators and devices. However, a significant challenge remains in achieving LCEs with both excellent dynamic properties and superior mechanical strength and stability. In this study, a diacrylate-functionalized monomer containing dynamic hindered urea bonds (DA-HUB) is employed to prepare exchangeable LCEs through a self-catalytic Michael addition reaction. By incorporating DA-HUB, the LCE system benefits from DCBs and hydrogen bonding, leading to materials with high mechanical strength and a range of dynamic properties such as programmability, self-healing, and recyclability. Leveraging these characteristics, bilayer LCE actuators with controlled reversible thermal deformation and outstanding dimensional stability are successfully fabricated using a simple welding method. Moreover, a biomimetic triangular plum, inspired by the blooming of flowers, is created to showcase reversible color and shape changes triggered by light and heat. This innovative approach opens new possibilities for the development of biomimetic and smart actuators and devices with multiple functionalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhentian Xu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering/ Institute of Polymers and Energy Chemistry (IPEC)/ the School of Information Engineering, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Yangyang Zhu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering/ Institute of Polymers and Energy Chemistry (IPEC)/ the School of Information Engineering, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Yun Ai
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering/ Institute of Polymers and Energy Chemistry (IPEC)/ the School of Information Engineering, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Dan Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Jiangxi Province for Persistent Pollutants, Control and Resources Recycle, Nanchang Hangkong University, 696 Fenghe South Avenue, Nanchang, 330063, China
| | - Feiyan Wu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering/ Institute of Polymers and Energy Chemistry (IPEC)/ the School of Information Engineering, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Chunquan Li
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering/ Institute of Polymers and Energy Chemistry (IPEC)/ the School of Information Engineering, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Lie Chen
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering/ Institute of Polymers and Energy Chemistry (IPEC)/ the School of Information Engineering, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Nanchang, 330031, China
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8
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Donato S, Nocentini S, Martella D, Kolagatla S, Wiersma DS, Parmeggiani C, Delaney C, Florea L. Liquid Crystalline Network Microstructures for Stimuli Responsive Labels with Multi-Level Encryption. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2306802. [PMID: 38063817 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202306802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Two-photon direct laser writing enables the fabrication of shape-changing microstructures that can be exploited in stimuli responsive micro-robotics and photonics. The use of Liquid Crystalline Networks (LCN) allows to realize 3D micrometric objects that can contract along a specific direction in response to stimuli, such as temperature or light. In this paper, the fabrication of free-standing LCN microstructures is demonstrated as graphical units of a smart tag for simple physical and optical encryption. Using an array of identical pixels, information can be hidden to the observer and revealed only upon application of a specific stimulus. The reading mechanism is based on the shape-change of each pixel under stimuli and their color that combine together in a two-level encryption label. Once the stimulus is removed, the pixels recover their original shape and the message remains completely hidden. Therefore, an opto-mechanical equivalent of an "invisible ink" is realized. This new concept paves the way for introducing enhanced functionalities in smart micro-systems within a single lithography step, spanning from storage devices with physical encryption to complex motion actuators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Donato
- European Laboratory for Non Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), via N. Carrara 1, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, via G. Sansone 1, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
| | - Sara Nocentini
- European Laboratory for Non Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), via N. Carrara 1, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM), Strada delle Cacce 91, Torino, 10135, Italy
| | - Daniele Martella
- European Laboratory for Non Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), via N. Carrara 1, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM), Strada delle Cacce 91, Torino, 10135, Italy
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, via della Lastruccia 3-13, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
| | - Srikanth Kolagatla
- School of Chemistry & AMBER, The SFI Research Centre for Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, 2, Ireland
| | - Diederik S Wiersma
- European Laboratory for Non Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), via N. Carrara 1, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, via G. Sansone 1, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM), Strada delle Cacce 91, Torino, 10135, Italy
| | - Camilla Parmeggiani
- European Laboratory for Non Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), via N. Carrara 1, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, via della Lastruccia 3-13, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
| | - Colm Delaney
- School of Chemistry & AMBER, The SFI Research Centre for Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, 2, Ireland
| | - Larisa Florea
- School of Chemistry & AMBER, The SFI Research Centre for Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, 2, Ireland
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9
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Wang J, Zhou H, Fan Y, Hou W, Zhao T, Hu Z, Shi E, Lv JA. Adaptive nanotube networks enabling omnidirectionally deformable electro-driven liquid crystal elastomers towards artificial muscles. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2024; 11:1877-1888. [PMID: 38516937 DOI: 10.1039/d4mh00107a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Artificial muscles that can convert electrical energy into mechanical energy promise broad scientific and technological applications. However, existing electro-driven artificial muscles have been plagued with problems that hinder their practical applications: large electro-mechanical attenuation during deformation, high-driving voltages, small actuation strain, and low power density. Here, we design and create novel electro-thermal-driven artificial muscles rationally composited by hierarchically structured carbon nanotube (HS-CNT) networks and liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs), which possess adaptive sandwiched nanotube networks with angulated-scissor-like microstructures, thus effectively addressing above problems. These HS-CNT/LCE artificial muscles demonstrate not only large strain (>40%), but also remarkable conductive robustness (R/R0 < 1.03 under actuation), excellent Joule heating efficiency (≈ 233 °C at 4 V), and high load-bearing capacity (R/R0 < 1.15 at 4000 times its weight loaded). In addition, our artificial muscles exhibit real-muscle-like morphing intelligence that enables preventing mechanical damage in response to excessively heavyweight loading. These high-performance artificial muscles uniquely combining omnidirectional stretchability, robust electrothermal actuation, low driving voltage, and powerful mechanical output would exert significant technological impacts on engineering applications such as soft robotics and wearable flexible electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Wang
- Key Laboratory of 3D Micro/Nano Fabrication and Characterization of Zhejiang Province, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China.
- Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Hao Zhou
- Key Laboratory of 3D Micro/Nano Fabrication and Characterization of Zhejiang Province, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China.
| | - Yangyang Fan
- Key Laboratory of 3D Micro/Nano Fabrication and Characterization of Zhejiang Province, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China.
- Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Wenhao Hou
- Key Laboratory of 3D Micro/Nano Fabrication and Characterization of Zhejiang Province, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China.
- Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Tonghui Zhao
- Key Laboratory of 3D Micro/Nano Fabrication and Characterization of Zhejiang Province, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China.
- Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Zhiming Hu
- Key Laboratory of 3D Micro/Nano Fabrication and Characterization of Zhejiang Province, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China.
- Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Enzheng Shi
- Key Laboratory of 3D Micro/Nano Fabrication and Characterization of Zhejiang Province, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China.
| | - Jiu-An Lv
- Key Laboratory of 3D Micro/Nano Fabrication and Characterization of Zhejiang Province, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China.
- Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
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10
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Zhang C, Chen G, Zhang K, Jin B, Zhao Q, Xie T. Repeatedly Programmable Liquid Crystal Dielectric Elastomer with Multimodal Actuation. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2313078. [PMID: 38231117 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202313078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Dielectric elastomers (DEs) are actuatable under an electric field, whose large strain and fast response speed compare favorably with natural muscles. However, the actuation of DE-based devices is generally limited to a single mode and cannot be reconfigured after fabrication, which pales in comparison to biological counterparts given the ability to alter actuation modes according to external conditions. To address this, liquid crystal dielectric elastomers (LC-DEs) that can alter the dielectric actuation modes based on the thermally triggered shape-changing are prepared. Specifically, the two shapes through the LC phase transition possess different bending stiffness, which leads to distinct actuation modes after an electric field is applied. Moreover, the two shapes can be individually programmed/reprogrammed, that is, the one before the transition is regulated through force-directed solvent evaporation and the one after the transition is via bond exchange-enabled stress relaxation. As such, the multimodal dielectric actuation behaviors upon temperature change can be readily diversified. Meanwhile, the space charge mechanism endows LC-DEs with the significantly reduced driving e-field (8 V µm-1) and bidirectional actuation manners. It is believed this unique adaptivity in the actuation modes under a low electric field shall offer versatile designs for practical soft robots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengcheng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Guancong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Kaihang Zhang
- Center for X-Mechanics, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Key Laboratory of Soft Machines and Smart Devices of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Binjie Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Center for X-Mechanics, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Qian Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Tao Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Department of Colorectal Surgery and Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310000, China
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11
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Park J, Lee Y, Cho S, Choe A, Yeom J, Ro YG, Kim J, Kang DH, Lee S, Ko H. Soft Sensors and Actuators for Wearable Human-Machine Interfaces. Chem Rev 2024; 124:1464-1534. [PMID: 38314694 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Haptic human-machine interfaces (HHMIs) combine tactile sensation and haptic feedback to allow humans to interact closely with machines and robots, providing immersive experiences and convenient lifestyles. Significant progress has been made in developing wearable sensors that accurately detect physical and electrophysiological stimuli with improved softness, functionality, reliability, and selectivity. In addition, soft actuating systems have been developed to provide high-quality haptic feedback by precisely controlling force, displacement, frequency, and spatial resolution. In this Review, we discuss the latest technological advances of soft sensors and actuators for the demonstration of wearable HHMIs. We particularly focus on highlighting material and structural approaches that enable desired sensing and feedback properties necessary for effective wearable HHMIs. Furthermore, promising practical applications of current HHMI technology in various areas such as the metaverse, robotics, and user-interactive devices are discussed in detail. Finally, this Review further concludes by discussing the outlook for next-generation HHMI technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonghwa Park
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan Metropolitan City 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngoh Lee
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan Metropolitan City 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungse Cho
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan Metropolitan City 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Ayoung Choe
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan Metropolitan City 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeonghee Yeom
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan Metropolitan City 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Goo Ro
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan Metropolitan City 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinyoung Kim
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan Metropolitan City 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Hee Kang
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan Metropolitan City 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungjae Lee
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan Metropolitan City 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunhyub Ko
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan Metropolitan City 44919, Republic of Korea
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12
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Feng W, He Q, Zhang L. Embedded Physical Intelligence in Liquid Crystalline Polymer Actuators and Robots. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024:e2312313. [PMID: 38375751 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202312313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Responsive materials possess the inherent capacity to autonomously sense and respond to various external stimuli, demonstrating physical intelligence. Among the diverse array of responsive materials, liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs) stand out for their remarkable reversible stimuli-responsive shape-morphing properties and their potential for creating soft robots. While numerous reviews have extensively detailed the progress in developing LCP-based actuators and robots, there exists a need for comprehensive summaries that elucidate the underlying principles governing actuation and how physical intelligence is embedded within these systems. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in developing actuators and robots endowed with physical intelligence using LCPs. This review is structured around the stimulus conditions and categorizes the studies involving responsive LCPs based on the fundamental control and stimulation logic and approach. Specifically, three main categories are examined: systems that respond to changing stimuli, those operating under constant stimuli, and those equip with learning and logic control capabilities. Furthermore, the persisting challenges that need to be addressed are outlined and discuss the future avenues of research in this dynamic field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Feng
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Qiguang He
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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13
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Yu H, Gold JI, Wolter TJ, Bao N, Smith E, Zhang HA, Twieg RJ, Mavrikakis M, Abbott NL. Actuating Liquid Crystals Rapidly and Reversibly by Using Chemical Catalysis. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024:e2309605. [PMID: 38331028 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202309605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Microtubules and catalytic motor proteins underlie the microscale actuation of living materials, and they have been used in reconstituted systems to harness chemical energy to drive new states of organization of soft matter (e.g., liquid crystals (LCs)). Such materials, however, are fragile and challenging to translate to technological contexts. Rapid (sub-second) and reversible changes in the orientations of LCs at room temperature using reactions between gaseous hydrogen and oxygen that are catalyzed by Pd/Au surfaces are reported. Surface chemical analysis and computational chemistry studies confirm that dissociative adsorption of H2 on the Pd/Au films reduces preadsorbed O and generates 1 ML of adsorbed H, driving nitrile-containing LCs from a perpendicular to a planar orientation. Subsequent exposure to O2 leads to oxidation of the adsorbed H, reformation of adsorbed O on the Pd/Au surface, and a return of the LC to its initial orientation. The roles of surface composition and reaction kinetics in determining the LC dynamics are described along with a proof-of-concept demonstration of microactuation of beads. These results provide fresh ideas for utilizing chemical energy and catalysis to reversibly actuate functional LCs on the microscale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaizhe Yu
- Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, 1 Ho Plaza, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Jake I Gold
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Trenton J Wolter
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Nanqi Bao
- Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, 1 Ho Plaza, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Evangelos Smith
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Hanyu Alice Zhang
- Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, 1 Ho Plaza, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Robert J Twieg
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kent State University, 1175 Risman Drive, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
| | - Manos Mavrikakis
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Nicholas L Abbott
- Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, 1 Ho Plaza, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
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14
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Yang Y, Meng L, Zhang J, Gao Y, Hao Z, Liu Y, Niu M, Zhang X, Liu X, Liu S. Near-Infrared Light-Driven MXene/Liquid Crystal Elastomer Bimorph Membranes for Closed-Loop Controlled Self-Sensing Bionic Robots. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2307862. [PMID: 37985651 PMCID: PMC10787073 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202307862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
More recently, soft actuators have evoked great interest in the next generation of soft robots. Despite significant progress, the majority of current soft actuators suffer from the lack of real-time sensory feedback and self-control functions, prohibiting their effective sensing and multitasking functions. Therefore, in this work, a near-infrared-driven bimorph membrane, with self-sensing and feedback loop control functions, is produced by layer by layer (LBL) assembling MXene/PDDA (PM) onto liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) film. The versatile integration strategy successfully prevents the separation issues that arise from moduli mismatch between the sensing and the actuating layers, ultimately resulting in a stable and tightly bonded interface adhesion. As a result, the resultant membrane exhibited excellent mechanical toughness (tensile strengths equal to 16.3 MPa (||)), strong actuation properties (actuation stress equal to 1.56 MPa), and stable self-sensing (gauge factor equal to 4.72) capabilities. When applying the near-infrared (NIR) laser control, the system can perform grasping, traction, and crawling movements. Furthermore, the wing actuation and the closed-loop controlled motion are demonstrated in combination with the insect microcontroller unit (MCU) models. The remote precision control and the self-sensing capabilities of the soft actuator pave a way for complex and precise task modulation in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youwei Yang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, P. R. China
| | - Lingxian Meng
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, P. R. China
| | - Juzhong Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, P. R. China
| | - Yadong Gao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, P. R. China
| | - Zijuan Hao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, P. R. China
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, P. R. China
| | - Mingjun Niu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, P. R. China
| | - Xiaomeng Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, P. R. China
| | - Xuying Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, P. R. China
| | - Shuiren Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, P. R. China
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15
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Li S, Aizenberg M, Lerch MM, Aizenberg J. Programming Deformations of 3D Microstructures: Opportunities Enabled by Magnetic Alignment of Liquid Crystalline Elastomers. ACCOUNTS OF MATERIALS RESEARCH 2023; 4:1008-1019. [PMID: 38148997 PMCID: PMC10749463 DOI: 10.1021/accountsmr.3c00101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic structures that undergo controlled movement are crucial building blocks for developing new technologies applicable to robotics, healthcare, and sustainable self-regulated materials. Yet, programming motion is nontrivial, and particularly at the microscale it remains a fundamental challenge. At the macroscale, movement can be controlled by conventional electric, pneumatic, or combustion-based machinery. At the nanoscale, chemistry has taken strides in enabling molecularly fueled movement. Yet in between, at the microscale, top-down fabrication becomes cumbersome and expensive, while bottom-up chemical self-assembly and amplified molecular motion does not reach the necessary sophistication. Hence, new approaches that converge top-down and bottom-up methods and enable motional complexity at the microscale are urgently needed. Synthetic anisotropic materials (e.g., liquid crystalline elastomers, LCEs) with encoded molecular anisotropy that are shaped into arbitrary geometries by top-down fabrication promise new opportunities to implement controlled actuation at the microscale. In such materials, motional complexity is directly linked to the built-in molecular anisotropy that can be "activated" by external stimuli. So far, encoding the desired patterns of molecular directionality has relied mostly on either mechanical or surface alignment techniques, which do not allow the decoupling of molecular and geometric features, severely restricting achievable material shapes and thus limiting attainable actuation patterns, unless complex multimaterial constructs are fabricated. Electromagnetic fields have recently emerged as possible alternatives to provide 3D control over local anisotropy, independent of the geometry of a given 3D object. The combination of magnetic alignment and soft lithography, in particular, provides a powerful platform for the rapid, practical, and facile production of microscale soft actuators with field-defined local anisotropy. Recent work has established the feasibility of this approach with low magnetic field strengths (in the lower mT range) and comparably simple setups used for the fabrication of the microactuators, in which magnetic fields can be engineered through arrangement of permanent magnets. This workflow gives access to microstructures with unusual spatial patterning of molecular alignment and has enabled a multitude of nontrivial deformation types that would not be possible to program by any other means at the micron scale. A range of "activating" stimuli can be used to put these structures in motion, and the type of the trigger plays a key role too: directional and dynamic stimuli (such as light) make it possible to activate the patterned anisotropic material locally and transiently, which enables one to achieve and further program motional complexity and communication in microactuators. In this Account, we will discuss recent advances in magnetic alignment of molecular anisotropy and its use in soft lithography and related fabrication approaches to create LCE microactuators. We will examine how design choices-from the molecular to the fabrication and the operational levels-control and define the achievable LCE deformations. We then address the role of stimuli in realizing the motional complexity and how one can engineer feedback within and communication between microactuator arrays fabricated by soft lithography. Overall, we outline emerging strategies that make possible a completely new approach to designing for desired sets of motions of active, microscale objects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shucong Li
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard
University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Michael Aizenberg
- John
A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Michael M. Lerch
- John
A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
- Stratingh
Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Joanna Aizenberg
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard
University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
- John
A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
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16
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Saeed MH, Choi MY, Kim K, Lee JH, Kim K, Kim D, Kim SU, Kim H, Ahn SK, Lan R, Na JH. Electrostatically Powered Multimode Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:56285-56292. [PMID: 37991738 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c13140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Soft actuators based on liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) are captivating significant interest because of their unique properties combining the programmable liquid crystalline molecular order and elasticity of polymeric materials. For practical applications, the ability to perform multimodal shape changes in a single LCE actuator at a subsecond level is a bottleneck. Here, we fabricate a monodomain LCE powered by electrostatic force, which enables fast multidirectional bending, oscillation, rotation, and complex actuation with a high degree of freedom. By tuning the dielectric constant and resistivity in LCE gels, a complete cycle of oscillation and rotation only takes 0.1 s. In addition, monodomain actuators exhibit anisotropic actuation behaviors that promise a more complex deployment in a potential electromechanical system. The presented study will pave the way for electrostatically controllable isothermal manipulation for a fast and multimode soft actuator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsin Hassan Saeed
- Department of Electrical, Electronics and Communication Engineering Education, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Moon-Young Choi
- Department of Convergence System Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Kitae Kim
- Department of Convergence System Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Hyeong Lee
- School of Chemical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Keumbee Kim
- School of Chemical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Dowon Kim
- Department of Electrical, Electronics and Communication Engineering Education, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Se-Um Kim
- Department of Electrical and Information Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul 01811, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Kim
- Advanced Materials Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Suk-Kyun Ahn
- School of Chemical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Ruochen Lan
- Institute of Advanced Materials, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
| | - Jun-Hee Na
- Department of Electrical, Electronics and Communication Engineering Education, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
- Department of Convergence System Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
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17
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Wu X, Yuan Y, Zhao S, Lei Y, Fu X, Lei J, Jiang L. The Synergistic Effects between Liquid Crystal and Crystalline Phase on Photo-Responsive Elastomers toward Quick Photo-Responsive Performance. Macromol Rapid Commun 2023; 44:e2300354. [PMID: 37572076 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202300354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
Adopting only a small amount of azobenzene molecular to design liquid crystal photo-responsive materials capable of quick response and flexible adjustability is in high demand but is challenging. Herein, azobenzenemolecules into polyurethane elastomer containing crystalline structure for preparing azobenzene liquid-crystal elastomers (ALCEs) are demonstrated and this phenomenon of the synergistic effects between liquid crystal and crystalline phase is discovered. The key point of the work is that the synthetic ALCEs can utilize the reversible isomerism capability of azobenzene molecules under light irradiation, which can pry the motion of the macromolecular crystalline region in system to realize the large macroscopic deformation of the photo-responsive behavior. Obviously, the ALCEs sample containing azobenzene molecule and polyethylene glycol crystallization can quickly bend, illuminated by ultraviolet light and rapidly straighten under green light. Under the same ultraviolet irradiation, the bending speed, final bending angle, recovery rate and recovery ratio of ALCEs are larger than that of ALCEs without any crystalline structure. This ALCEs based on the synergistic effects between liquid crystal and crystalline phase can break through the current dilemma that the application of traditional azobenzene photo-responsive materials is limited by their concentration, greatly expanding the design thought and their scope of application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xudong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Polymer Research Institute of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, P. R. China
| | - Ye Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Polymer Research Institute of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, P. R. China
- Scientific Research Institute, Luzhou North Chemistry Industry Corporation, Luzhou, 646100, P. R. China
| | - Shiwei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Polymer Research Institute of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, P. R. China
| | - Yuan Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Polymer Research Institute of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, P. R. China
| | - Xiaowei Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Polymer Research Institute of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, P. R. China
| | - Jingxin Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Polymer Research Institute of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, P. R. China
| | - Liang Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Polymer Research Institute of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, P. R. China
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18
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Chen M, Gao M, Bai L, Zheng H, Qi HJ, Zhou K. Recent Advances in 4D Printing of Liquid Crystal Elastomers. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2209566. [PMID: 36461147 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202209566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are renowned for their large, reversible, and anisotropic shape change in response to various external stimuli due to their lightly cross-linked polymer networks with an oriented mesogen direction, thus showing great potential for applications in robotics, bio-medics, electronics, optics, and energy. To fully take advantage of the anisotropic stimuli-responsive behaviors of LCEs, it is preferable to achieve a locally controlled mesogen alignment into monodomain orientations. In recent years, the application of 4D printing to LCEs opens new doors for simultaneously programming the mesogen alignment and the 3D geometry, offering more opportunities and higher feasibility for the fabrication of 4D-printed LCE objects with desirable stimuli-responsive properties. Here, the state-of-the-art advances in 4D printing of LCEs are reviewed, with emphasis on both the mechanisms and potential applications. First, the fundamental properties of LCEs and the working principles of the representative 4D printing techniques are briefly introduced. Then, the fabrication of LCEs by 4D printing techniques and the advantages over conventional manufacturing methods are demonstrated. Finally, perspectives on the current challenges and potential development trends toward the 4D printing of LCEs are discussed, which may shed light on future research directions in this new field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Chen
- Singapore Centre for 3D Printing, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
- HP-NTU Digital Manufacturing Corporate Lab, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Ming Gao
- Singapore Centre for 3D Printing, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
- HP-NTU Digital Manufacturing Corporate Lab, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Lichun Bai
- School of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410075, China
| | - Han Zheng
- Singapore Centre for 3D Printing, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - H Jerry Qi
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Kun Zhou
- Singapore Centre for 3D Printing, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
- HP-NTU Digital Manufacturing Corporate Lab, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
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19
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Zhang D, Peixoto J, Zhan Y, Astam MO, Bus T, van der Tol JJB, Broer DJ, Liu D. Reversible Perspiring Artificial "Fingertips". ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2209729. [PMID: 36745861 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202209729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Fingertip perspiration is a vital process within human predation, to which the species owes its survival and its biological success. In this paper, the unique human ability of extensive perspiration and controlled friction in self-assembled cholesteric liquid crystals is recreated, mimicking the natural processes that occur in the dermis and epidermis of human skin. This is achieved by inducing porosity in responsive, liquid-bearing material through the controlled-polymerization phase-separation process. The unique topography of human fingerprints is further emulated in the materials by balancing the parallel chirality-induced force and the perpendicular substrate-anchoring force during synthesis. As a result, artificial fingertips are capable of secreting and re-absorbing liquid upon light illumination. By demonstrating the function of the soft material in a tribological aspect, it exhibits a controllable anti-sliding property comparable to human fingertips and subsequently attains a higher degree of biomimicry. This biomimetic fingertip is envisioned being applied in a multitude of fields, ranging from biomedical instruments to interactive, human-like soft robotic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongyu Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, Netherlands
| | - Jacques Peixoto
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, Netherlands
| | - Yuanyuan Zhan
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, Netherlands
| | - Mert O Astam
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, Netherlands
| | - Tom Bus
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, Netherlands
| | - Joost J B van der Tol
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, Netherlands
| | - Dirk J Broer
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, Netherlands
- Joint Research Lab of Devices Integrated Responsive Materials, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Danqing Liu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, Netherlands
- Joint Research Lab of Devices Integrated Responsive Materials, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
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20
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Liang H, Wei Y, Ji Y. Magnetic-responsive Covalent Adaptable Networks. Chem Asian J 2023; 18:e202201177. [PMID: 36645376 DOI: 10.1002/asia.202201177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Covalent adaptable networks (CANs) are reprocessable polymers whose structural arrangement is based on the recombination of dynamic covalent bonds. Composite materials prepared by incorporating magnetic particles into CANs attract much attention due to their remote and precise control, fast response speed, high biological safety and strong penetration of magnetic stimuli. These properties often involve magnetothermal effect and direct magnetic-field guidance. Besides, some of them can also respond to light, electricity or pH values. Thus, they are favorable for soft actuators since various functions are achieved such as magnetic-assisted self-healing (heating or at ambient temperature), welding (on land or under water), shape-morphing, and so on. Although magnetic CANs just start to be studied in recent two years, their advances are promised to expand the practical applications in both cutting-edge academic and engineering fields. This review aims to summarize recent progress in magnetic-responsive CANs, including their design, synthesis and application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Liang
- The Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
| | - Yen Wei
- The Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China.,Department of Chemistry, Center for Nanotechnology and Institute of Biomedical Technology, Chung-Yuan Christian University Chung-Li, 32023, Taiwan, P. R. China
| | - Yan Ji
- The Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
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21
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Wang W, Liu S, Wang S, Xiang C, Huang Y, Li M, Wang D. Silicon Distribution-Induced Actuation Film with Bidirectional Bending Deformation and Versatile Bionic Applications. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:55264-55276. [PMID: 36464856 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c18295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
As an important branch of intelligent materials, the research and development of stimulus-responsive flexible intelligent actuation materials is of great significance to promote the industrialization of intelligent materials. In this study, the asymmetric PVA-co-PE/silicon nanoparticle (PPSN) composite films and PVA-co-PE/silicon sol (PPSS) composite film with different silicon distributions were prepared by a simple spraying method. The silicon nanoparticle layer in the PPSN composite film was similar to the sand-like water-absorbing layer, which can quickly absorb water and permeate it into the interior region, leading to the hygroscopic expansion behavior on one side of the nanofiber film. Then, the PPSN composite film would quickly bend and deform to the silicon nanoparticle side. However, in the PPSS composite film, due to the excellent hygroscopicity and swelling characteristics of the silica sol layer, the composite film can be rapidly deformed to the PVA-co-PE nanofiber film side under moisture stimulation. The above results subvert the traditional asymmetric actuation film, which mainly depends on the hydrophilicity difference to determine the hygroscopic responsiveness and deformation direction, and ignore that the swelling degree is the main factor determining the bending direction of actuator. In addition, both the composite films can quickly respond to moisture stimulation (<1 s) and produce large-scale bending deformation (180°). Furthermore, due to the excellent interface adhesion formed by the continuity structure in the PPSS composite film, it has better actuation stability than the PPSN composite film. The excellent actuation characteristics and different bending directions of the PPSN and PPSS composite films make it a great application prospect in the field of bionics in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Textile Fiber and Products (Wuhan Textile University), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430200, China
| | - Shuying Liu
- Key Laboratory of Textile Fiber and Products (Wuhan Textile University), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430200, China
| | - Shuang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Textile Fiber and Products (Wuhan Textile University), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430200, China
| | - Chenxue Xiang
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Yangjie Huang
- Key Laboratory of Textile Fiber and Products (Wuhan Textile University), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430200, China
| | - Mufang Li
- Key Laboratory of Textile Fiber and Products (Wuhan Textile University), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430200, China
| | - Dong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Textile Fiber and Products (Wuhan Textile University), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430200, China
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
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22
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Wu Q, Ma C, Chen L, Sun Y, Wei X, Ma C, Zhao H, Yang X, Ma X, Zhang C, Duan G. A Tissue Paper/Hydrogel Composite Light-Responsive Biomimetic Actuator Fabricated by In Situ Polymerization. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14245454. [PMID: 36559822 PMCID: PMC9785941 DOI: 10.3390/polym14245454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Stimulus-responsive hydrogels are an important member of smart materials owing to their reversibility, soft/wet properties, and biocompatibility, which have a wide range of applications in the field of intelligent actuations. However, poor mechanical property and complicated fabrication process limit their further applications. Herein, we report a light-responsive tissue paper/hydrogel composite actuator which was developed by combining inkjet-printed tissue paper with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogel through simple in situ polymerization. Due to the high strength of natural tissue paper and the strong interaction within the interface of the bilayer structure, the mechanical property of the composite actuator was highly enhanced, reaching 1.2 MPa of tensile strength. Furthermore, the light-responsive actuation of remote manipulation can be achieved because of the stamping graphite with high efficiency of photothermal conversion. Most importantly, we also made a few remotely controlled biomimetic actuating devices based on the near-infrared (NIR) light response of this composite actuator. This work provides a simple strategy for the construction of biomimetic anisotropic actuators and will inspire the exploration of new intelligent materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qijun Wu
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Chao Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Lian Chen
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Ye Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Xianshuo Wei
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Chunxin Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
- Key Laboratory of Quality Safe Evaluation and Research of Degradable Material for State Market Regulation, Products Quality Supervision and Testing Institute of Hainan Province, Haikou 570203, China
- Correspondence: (C.M.); (C.Z.); (G.D.)
| | - Hongliang Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Quality Safe Evaluation and Research of Degradable Material for State Market Regulation, Products Quality Supervision and Testing Institute of Hainan Province, Haikou 570203, China
| | - Xiuling Yang
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Xiaofan Ma
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Chunmei Zhang
- Institute of Materials Science and Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
- Correspondence: (C.M.); (C.Z.); (G.D.)
| | - Gaigai Duan
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
- Correspondence: (C.M.); (C.Z.); (G.D.)
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23
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Cang Y, Liu J, Ryu M, Graczykowski B, Morikawa J, Yang S, Fytas G. On the origin of elasticity and heat conduction anisotropy of liquid crystal elastomers at gigahertz frequencies. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5248. [PMID: 36068238 PMCID: PMC9448779 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32865-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Liquid crystal elastomers that offer exceptional load-deformation response at low frequencies often require consideration of the mechanical anisotropy only along the two symmetry directions. However, emerging applications operating at high frequencies require all five true elastic constants. Here, we utilize Brillouin light spectroscopy to obtain the engineering moduli and probe the strain dependence of the elasticity anisotropy at gigahertz frequencies. The Young's modulus anisotropy, E||/E⊥~2.6, is unexpectedly lower than that measured by tensile testing, suggesting disparity between the local mesogenic orientation and the larger scale orientation of the network strands. Unprecedented is the robustness of E||/E⊥ to uniaxial load that it does not comply with continuously transformable director orientation observed in the tensile testing. Likewise, the heat conductivity is directional, κ||/κ⊥~3.0 with κ⊥ = 0.16 Wm-1K-1. Conceptually, this work reveals the different length scales involved in the thermoelastic anisotropy and provides insights for programming liquid crystal elastomers on-demand for high-frequency applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Cang
- School of Aerospace Engineering and Applied Mechanics, Tongji University, Zhangwu Road 100, Shanghai, 200092, China.,Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, Mainz, 55128, Germany
| | - Jiaqi Liu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, 3231 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Meguya Ryu
- School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan.,National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Umezono, Tsukuba, 305-8563, Japan
| | - Bartlomiej Graczykowski
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, Mainz, 55128, Germany.,Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznanskiego 2, Poznan, 61-614, Poland
| | - Junko Morikawa
- School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Shu Yang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, 3231 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - George Fytas
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, Mainz, 55128, Germany.
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24
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Xiao YY, Jiang ZC, Hou JB, Chen XS, Zhao Y. Electrically driven liquid crystal network actuators. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:4850-4867. [PMID: 35730498 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00544a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Soft actuators based on liquid crystal networks (LCNs) have aroused great scientific interest for use as stimuli-controlled shape-changing and moving components for robotic devices due to their fast, large, programmable and solvent-free actuation responses. Recently, various LCN actuators have been implemented in soft robotics using stimulus sources such as heat, light, humidity and chemical reactions. Among them, electrically driven LCN actuators allow easy modulation and programming of the input electrical signals (amplitude, phase, and frequency) as well as stimulation throughout the volume, rendering them promising actuators for practical applications. Herein, the progress of electrically driven LCN actuators regarding their construction, actuation mechanisms, actuation performance, actuation programmability and the design strategies for intelligent systems is elucidated. We also discuss new robotic functions and advanced actuation control. Finally, an outlook is provided, highlighting the research challenges faced with this type of actuator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao-Yu Xiao
- Département de Chimie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
| | - Zhi-Chao Jiang
- Département de Chimie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
| | - Jun-Bo Hou
- Département de Chimie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
| | - Xin-Shi Chen
- Département de Chimie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
| | - Yue Zhao
- Département de Chimie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
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25
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Li Y, Liu T, Ambrogi V, Rios O, Xia M, He W, Yang Z. Liquid Crystalline Elastomers Based on Click Chemistry. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:14842-14858. [PMID: 35319184 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c21096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) have emerged as an important class of functional materials that are suitable for a wide range of applications, such as sensors, actuators, and soft robotics. The unique properties of LCEs originate from the combination between liquid crystal and elastomeric network. The control of macroscopic liquid crystalline orientation and network structure is crucial to realizing the useful functionalities of LCEs. A variety of chemistries have been developed to fabricate LCEs, including hydrosilylation, free radical polymerization of acrylate, and polyaddition of epoxy and carboxylic acid. Over the past few years, the use of click chemistry has become a more robust and energy-efficient way to construct LCEs with desired structures. This article provides an overview of emerging LCEs based on click chemistries, including aza-Michael addition between amine and acrylate, radical-mediated thiol-ene and thiol-yne reactions, base-catalyzed thiol-acrylate and thiol-epoxy reactions, copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition, and Diels-Alder cycloaddition. The similarities and differences of these reactions are discussed, with particular attention focused on the strengths and limitations of each reaction for the preparation of LCEs with controlled structures and orientations. The compatibility of these reactions with the traditional and emerging processing techniques, such as surface alignment and additive manufacturing, are surveyed. Finally, the challenges and opportunities of using click chemistry for the design of LCEs with advanced functionalities and applications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzhan Li
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Tuan Liu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Veronica Ambrogi
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli 80125, Italy
| | - Orlando Rios
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Min Xia
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Wanli He
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Zhou Yang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
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