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Zhu CN, Li CY, Wang H, Hong W, Huang F, Zheng Q, Wu ZL. Reconstructable Gradient Structures and Reprogrammable 3D Deformations of Hydrogels with Coumarin Units as the Photolabile Crosslinks. Adv Mater 2021; 33:e2008057. [PMID: 33788313 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202008057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Morphing hydrogels have versatile applications in soft robotics, flexible electronics, and biomedical devices. Controlling component distribution and internal stress within a hydrogel is crucial for shape-changing. However, existing gradient structures of hydrogels are usually non-reconstructable, once encoded by chemical reactions and covalent bonds. Fabricating hydrogels with distinct gradient structures is inevitable for every new configuration, resulting in poor reusability, adaptability, and sustainability that are disadvantageous for diverse applications. Herein, a hydrogel containing reversible photo-crosslinks that enable reprogramming of the gradient structures and 3D deformations into various configurations is reported. The hydrogel is prepared by micellar polymerization of hydrophobic coumarin monomer and hydrophilic acrylic acid. The presence of hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride micelles increases the local concentration of coumarin units and also improves the mechanical properties of the hydrogel by forming robust polyelectrolyte/surfactant complexes that serve as the physical crosslinks. High-efficiency photodimerization and photocleavage reactions of coumarins are realized under 365 and 254 nm light irradiation, respectively, affording reversible tuning of the network structure of the hydrogel. Through photolithography, different gradient structures are sequentially patterned in one hydrogel that direct the deformations into distinct configurations. Such a strategy should be applicable for other photolabile hydrogels toward reprogrammable control of network structures and versatile functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Nan Zhu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Chen Yu Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Hu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Center for Chemistry of High-Performance and Novel Materials, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Wei Hong
- Department of Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Feihe Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Center for Chemistry of High-Performance and Novel Materials, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Qiang Zheng
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Zi Liang Wu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
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