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Anisotropic and self-healing hydrogels with multi-responsive actuating capability

Author

Listed:
  • Haili Qin

    (Hefei University of Technology)

  • Tan Zhang

    (Hefei University of Technology)

  • Na Li

    (Hefei University of Technology)

  • Huai-Ping Cong

    (Hefei University of Technology)

  • Shu-Hong Yu

    (University of Science and Technology of China)

Abstract

Inspired by smart biological tissues, artificial muscle-like actuators offer fascinating prospects due to their distinctive shape transformation and self-healing function under external stimuli. However, further practical application is hindered by the lack of simple and general routes to fabricate ingenious soft materials with anisotropic responsiveness. Here, we describe a general in situ polymerization strategy for the fabrication of anisotropic hydrogels composed of highly-ordered lamellar network crosslinked by the metal nanostructure assemblies, accompanied with remarkably anisotropic performances on mechanical, optical, de-swelling and swelling behaviors. Owing to the dynamic thiolate-metal coordination as healing motifs, the composites exhibit rapid and efficient multi-responsive self-healing performance under NIR irradiation and low pH condition. Dependent on well-defined anisotropic structures, the hydrogel presents controllable solvent-responsive mechanical actuating performance. Impressively, the integrated device through a healing-induced assembly way can deliver more complicated, elaborate forms of actuation, demonstrating its great potentials as superior soft actuators like smart robots.

Suggested Citation

  • Haili Qin & Tan Zhang & Na Li & Huai-Ping Cong & Shu-Hong Yu, 2019. "Anisotropic and self-healing hydrogels with multi-responsive actuating capability," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-10243-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10243-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Yang Liu & Zijun Xu & Xinyi Ji & Xin Xu & Fei Chen & Xiaosen Pan & Zhiqiang Fu & Yunzhi Chen & Zhengjian Zhang & Hongbin Liu & Bowen Cheng & Jiajie Liang, 2024. "Ag–thiolate interactions to enable an ultrasensitive and stretchable MXene strain sensor with high temporospatial resolution," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Shuihong Zhu & Sen Wang & Yifan Huang & Qiyun Tang & Tianqi Fu & Riyan Su & Chaoyu Fan & Shuang Xia & Pooi See Lee & Youhui Lin, 2024. "Bioinspired structural hydrogels with highly ordered hierarchical orientations by flow-induced alignment of nanofibrils," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Wenfei Ai & Kai Hou & Jiaxin Wu & Yue Long & Kai Song, 2024. "Miniaturized and untethered McKibben muscles based on photothermal-induced gas-liquid transformation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.

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