Chemical adhesion of a hydrogel on an elastomer surface enabling directionally-bendable actuators

Zhang, Lidong; He, Junting

doi:10.1039/d1tc05707c

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…In the literature, delamination of two layers may occur in some bilayer hydrogels during the actuating process, which adversely affects the actuating performance . The interface can be reinforced through chemical − or physical bonding by selecting appropriate materials and fabrication strategies. The interfacial coherence of the GN hydrogel and the GelMA hydrogel was associated with chemical bonding, which was demonstrated by SEM (Figure S3B).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Biomimetic Bilayer Hydrogel Actuator Based on Thermoresponsive Gelatin Methacryloyl–Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Hydrogel with Three-Dimensional Printability

Huang

Cheng

Jeng

et al. 2023

ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces

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Development of hydrogel-based actuators with programmable deformation is an important topic that arouses much attention in fundamental and applied research. Most of these actuators are nonbiodegradable or work under nonphysiological conditions. Herein, a temperature-responsive and biodegradable gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA)−poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel (i.e., GN hydrogel) network was explored as the active layer of a bilayer actuator. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) revealed that the GN hydrogel formed a mesoglobular structure (∼230 Å) upon a thermally induced phase transition. Rheological data supported that the GN hydrogel possessed 3D printability and tunable mechanical properties. A bilayer hydrogel actuator composed of active GN and passive GelMA layers was optimized by varying the layer thickness and compositions to achieve large, reproducible, and anisotropic bending with a curvature of ∼5.5 cm −1 . Different patterns of the active layer were designed for actuation in programmable control. The 3D printed GN hydrogel constructs showed significant volume reduction (∼25−60% depending on construct design) at 37 °C with the resolution enhanced by the thermo-triggered actuation, while they were able to fully reswell at room temperature. A more intricate 3D printed butterfly actuator demonstrated the ability to mimic the wing movement through thermoresponsiveness. Furthermore, myoblasts laden in the GN hydrogel exhibited significant proliferation of ∼376% in 14 days. This study provides a new fabrication approach for developing biomimetic devices, artificial muscles, and soft robotics for biomedical applications.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Biomimetic Bilayer Hydrogel Actuator Based on Thermoresponsive Gelatin Methacryloyl–Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Hydrogel with Three-Dimensional Printability

Huang

Cheng

Jeng

et al. 2023

ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces

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“…[ 21 ] Based on this natural structure design, elastomers have been combined with xerogels to form a xerogel‐elastomer composite. [ 22 ] The xerogel‐elastomer composite enables the xerogel and elastomer with different properties to complement each other, but the two materials are incompatible and require additional processes to combine them. [ 23 ] To graft hydrogel polymers onto elastomeric surfaces, many chemical and physical methods exist, such as micro/nano‐architectural design on the interface for physical interlocking, [ 24 ] plasma activation, [ 25 ] spray coating, [ 26 ] and structural soaking for coating free radicals and surface covalent crosslinking.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electrodeposited Superhydrophilic‐Superhydrophobic Composites for Untethered Multi‐Stimuli‐Responsive Soft Millirobots

et al. 2023

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To navigate in complex and unstructured real‐world environments, soft miniature robots need to possess multiple functions, including autonomous environmental sensing, self‐adaptation, and multimodal locomotion. However, to achieve multifunctionality, artificial soft robots should respond to multiple stimuli, which can be achieved by multimaterial integration using facile and flexible fabrication methods. Here, a multimaterial integration strategy for fabricating soft millirobots that uses electrodeposition to integrate two inherently non‐adherable materials, superhydrophilic hydrogels and superhydrophobic elastomers, together via gel roots is proposed. This approach enables the authors to electrodeposit sodium alginate hydrogel onto a laser‐induced graphene‐coated elastomer, which can then be laser cut into various shapes to function as multi‐stimuli‐responsive soft robots (MSRs). Each MSR can respond to six different stimuli to autonomously transform their shapes, and mimic flowers, vines, mimosas, and flytraps. It is demonstrated that MSRs can climb slopes, switch locomotion modes, self‐adapt between air‐liquid environments, and transport cargo between different environments. This multimaterial integration strategy enables creating untethered soft millirobots that have multifunctionality, such as environmental sensing, self‐propulsion, and self‐adaptation, paving the way for their future operation in complex real‐world environments.

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“…The prepared bilayer was capable of reversible shape deformation without interfacial failure. [ 14 ] This method is universal to achieve interfacial adhesion of hydrogels on organic surfaces by interfacial chemical reactions, [ 24 ] but it is confined on inorganic surfaces because it is hard to form covalent interaction between hydrogel and inorganic surfaces. 3) Topological entanglement: topological adhesion is formed by topological entanglement between two different networks of hydrogel.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Interfacial adhesion is capable of functional improvements of hydrogel to expand its application for electronic skin, [1][2][3][4] soft devices, [5][6][7][8] bioengineering, [9][10][11][12][13] and robotics. [14][15][16] Four types of representative protocols have been reported to build interfacial adhesion of hydrogels at specific surfaces. 1) Surface-chemical reactions: [17][18][19][20] introduction of functional moieties such as catechol into network of hydrogel by surface-chemical reactions enables its interfacial adhesion at various hydrophilic surfaces.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electrochemical Bonding of Hydrogels at Rigid Surfaces

2022

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Flexible hydrogels can be chemically/physically bonded on soft surfaces. However, there is a lack of a facile method to build strong interfacial adhesion between hydrogel and various rigid surfaces. Herein, an electrochemical bonding protocol, which improves the interfacial adhesion energy of hydrogel from initial 8 to 3480 J m−2, ≈435 times enhancement at rigid glass surface, superior to the most of traditional methods, is proposed. A series of electrochemical bonding models to analyze the bonding mechanism, is demonstrated. The results indicate that the electrode reactions generate Fe3+ ions at the anode and OH− ions at the cathode, which migrate and react to form nanoparticles of Fe(OH)3. These nanoparticles form hump‐like physical structures at the interface and work as mechanical‐bonding sites, enabling the strong interfacial adhesion. Upon applying acidic solution to decompose the nanoparticles, the strong adhesion can be weakened to easily remove hydrogel from the bonded surface. The electrochemically‐bonded hydrogel can maintain its adhesion in water, which enables the electrochemical bonding of hydrogels for repairing various damaged surfaces such as plastic water tubes/bags, indicating promising potential for adhesive engineering applications.

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Chemical adhesion of a hydrogel on an elastomer surface enabling directionally-bendable actuators

Abstract: Chemical adhesion is an effective protocol to enhance the interfacial strength of two different elements, which is of great significance in the design and fabrication of kinematics-controllable soft actuators. Based...

Cited by 5 publications

References 46 publications

A Biomimetic Bilayer Hydrogel Actuator Based on Thermoresponsive Gelatin Methacryloyl–Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Hydrogel with Three-Dimensional Printability

A Biomimetic Bilayer Hydrogel Actuator Based on Thermoresponsive Gelatin Methacryloyl–Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Hydrogel with Three-Dimensional Printability

Electrodeposited Superhydrophilic‐Superhydrophobic Composites for Untethered Multi‐Stimuli‐Responsive Soft Millirobots

Electrochemical Bonding of Hydrogels at Rigid Surfaces

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