An Anisotropic Hydrogel by Programmable Ionic Crosslinking for Sequential Two-Stage Actuation under Single Stimulus.

ABSTRACT: As one of the most important anisotropic intelligent materials, bi-layer stimuli-responsive actuating hydrogels have proven their wide potential in soft robots, artificial muscles, biosensors, and drug delivery. However, they can commonly provide a simple one-actuating process under one external stimulus, which severely limits their further application. Herein, we have developed a new anisotropic hydrogel actuator by local ionic crosslinking on the poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) hydrogel layer of the bi-layer hydrogel for sequential two-stage bending under a single stimulus. Under pH = 13, ionic-crosslinked PAA networks undergo shrinking (-COO^-/Fe³⁺ complexation) and swelling (water absorption) processes. As a combination of Fe³⁺ crosslinked PAA hydrogel (PAA@Fe<

SUBMITTER: Zhang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10137370 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature