Issue 10, 2019

Thermo- and photo-responsive composite hydrogels with programmed deformations

Abstract

Self-shaping hydrogels have received increasing attention due to their promising applications in soft robotics and biomedical fields. Here we report the fabrication of photo- and thermo-responsive composite hydrogels with heterogeneous structures and corresponding programmed deformations under stimulation. These composite gels were developed by photolithographic polymerization to form patterned non-responsive polyacrylamide gels and then thermal polymerization to form responsive poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) gels containing photo-thermal agents in the interspace between the preformed non-responsive gels. Upon heating or near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation, the composite hydrogels with heterogeneous structures showed programmed bending, folding, and twisting deformations. Localized actuation or step-wise deformations were achieved by selective or sequential irradiations of NIR light on the specific regions of the composite hydrogels. This strategy should be suitable for other photo-responsive hydrogels with potential applications in diverse fields.

Graphical abstract: Thermo- and photo-responsive composite hydrogels with programmed deformations

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
02 Nov 2018
Accepted
03 Dec 2018
First published
04 Dec 2018

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2019,7, 1674-1678

Thermo- and photo-responsive composite hydrogels with programmed deformations

Z. J. Wang, C. Y. Li, X. Y. Zhao, Z. L. Wu and Q. Zheng, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2019, 7, 1674 DOI: 10.1039/C8TB02896F

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