Designing
anisotropic architectures enables the creation of soft
materials with rich properties and functions to artificially simulate
the evolutionary diversity of biology. In the important liquid crystalline
hybrid (LCH) hydrogels, free manipulation of liquid crystalline order
in high accuracy and efficiency has been long pursued to design properties
and functions but remains a challenge. Here, we realize digital programing
LC order in graphene oxide LCH hydrogels in high size resolution (∼20
μm) and efficiency by using shearing microlithography. The localized
shear-induced LC order organization is immobilized by cross-linking
gelation, and we prepare graphene oxide LCH hydrogels with digital
programmed patterns in a large area. The shearing order generates
a vertical alignment of graphene oxide sheets in hydrogels and a considerable
mechanical anisotropy controlled by the shearing angle and interval
spacing. By diversely organizing geometry of LC order, the mechanical
response behaviors of LCH hydrogels are designed to exhibit localized
deformations, steered cracking, and programmable swelling actuations.
Our work offers a versatile avenue to scalably digital program LCH
hydrogels in a high efficiency and accuracy. The digital designed
hydrogel promises wide uses in actuators, bioscaffolds, biomimetic
materials, and soft designer materials.
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