High-Power Actuation from Molecular Photoswitches in Enantiomerically Paired Soft Springs.

ABSTRACT: Motion in plants often relies on dynamic helical systems as seen in coiling tendrils, spasmoneme springs, and the opening of chiral seedpods. Developing nanotechnology that would allow molecular-level phenomena to drive such movements in artificial systems remains a scientific challenge. Herein, we describe a soft device that uses nanoscale information to mimic seedpod opening. The system exploits a fundamental mechanism of stimuli-responsive deformation in plants, namely that inflexible elements with specific orientations are integrated into a stimuli-responsive matrix. The device is operated by isomerization of a light-responsive molecular switch that drives the twisting of strips of liquid-crystal elastomers. The strips twist in opposite directions and work against each other until the

SUBMITTER: Aßhoff SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5363340 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature