Independent responsive behaviour and communication in hydrogel objects

Jaggers, Ross W.; Bon, Stefan Antonius Franciscus

doi:10.1039/c7mh00033b

Cited by 21 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…The soft structure of hydrogels allows for loading and release of cargo molecules. [ 11 ] In this work, we explore the capacity of biobased polymer beads to produce, store and release gas, leading to a modulation of the particle buoyancy. This phenomenon can be used to trigger an oscillatory vertical motion at the centimeter scale.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hydrogel materials are particularly promising candidates for micromotor technology due to their packaging capabilities, cargo delivery and biocompatibility. [ 11 ] Their integration in microscale motors is desirable in order to meet the requirements for the development of advanced micromachines opening up new practical applications. In recent years, macroscopic soft hydrogel motors with self‐propelling abilities were developed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Oscillatory Light‐Emitting Biopolymer Based Janus Microswimmers

María‐Hormigos

Escarpa

Goudeau

et al. 2020

Adv Materials Inter

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Janus particles with a double functionality are synthesized by asymmetric loading of alginate hydrogel beads with Prussian Blue, leading to microswimmers with an original dynamic oscillatory behavior coupled to chemical light emission. This phenomenon results from the combination of two features: 1) Prussian Blue in the gel acts as a catalyst and enables concomitant light emission and oxygen production in the presence of luminol and hydrogen peroxide; 2) the hydrogel particle has a differential porosity distribution, leading to an asymmetric release of oxygen bubbles propelling the particle. The synthesis of these functional materials is achieved using an electric field based symmetry breaking approach with ionically cross‐linked alginate beads and can be applied to a wide range of particle sizes. Such light‐emitting swimmers open up interesting perspectives for the elaboration of autonomous dynamic chemical systems.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oscillatory Light‐Emitting Biopolymer Based Janus Microswimmers

María‐Hormigos

Escarpa

Goudeau

et al. 2020

Adv Materials Inter

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“…The main reason for our choice of urease was that the system reported here is implementable in experiments. Urease has been used in sensing, crack repair (by inducing calcium carbonate precipitation) [40] and polymer synthesis [24], and has been immobilized on numerous solid supports including alginate [41]. In earlier work, it was demonstrated how features such as waves and oscillations obtained in the two-variable urea -urease model are also possible in the full model including all chemical processes and enzyme inhibition, albeit over a smaller region of parameter space [32,42].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Switches induced by quorum sensing in a model of enzyme-loaded microparticles

Bánsági¹,

Taylor²

2018

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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4Quorum sensing refers to the ability of bacteria and other single-celled organisms to respond to 5 changes in cell density or number with population-wide changes in behaviour. Here, simulations were 6 performed to investigate quorum sensing in groups of diffusively-coupled enzyme microparticles using 7 a well characterised autocatalytic reaction which raises the pH of the medium: hydrolysis of urea by 8 urease. The enzyme urease is found in both plants and microorganisms and has been widely exploited 9 in engineering processes. We demonstrate how increases in group size can be used to achieve a 10 sigmoidal switch in pH at high enzyme loading, oscillations in pH at intermediate enzyme loading and 11 a bistable, hysteretic switch at low enzyme loading. Thus, quorum sensing can be exploited to obtain 12 different types of response in the same system, depending on the enzyme concentration. The 13 implications for microorganisms in colonies are discussed and the results could help in the design of 14 synthetic quorum sensing for biotechnology applications such as drug delivery. 15 16

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“…[17,18] Important features such as threshold sensing, [19] bistability, [20,21] oscillations, [22][23][24] and pattern formation [25] could be shown on am olecular level. Building on this,C RNs were combined into materials to control physiochemical responses, [26,27] capsule permeability, [28,29] patterns, [30] communication, [31][32][33][34] gating, [35] chemotaxis, [36] diffusiophoresis, [37,38] and hydrogel formation. [39][40][41][42][43][44] Hence,f eedback-driven CRNs can offer ag reat control on am olecular scale,b ut their behavioral diversification demands for ap roper sketch of the kinetics and network topology,and the step from molecular systems to materials continues to be asignificant challenge.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feedback and Communication in Active Hydrogel Spheres with pH Fronts: Facile Approaches to Grow Soft Hydrogel Structures

et al. 2021

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Compartmentalized reaction networks regulating signal processing, communication and pattern formation are central to living systems. Towards achieving life‐like materials, we compartmentalized urea‐urease and more complex urea‐urease/ester‐esterase pH‐feedback reaction networks into hydrogel spheres and investigate how fuel‐driven pH fronts can be sent out from these spheres and regulated by internal reaction networks. Membrane characteristics are installed by covering urease spheres with responsive hydrogel shells. We then encapsulate the two networks (urea‐urease and ester‐esterase) separately into different hydrogel spheres to devise communication, pattern formation and attraction. Moreover, these pH fronts and patterns can be used for self‐growing hydrogels, and for developing complex geometries from non‐injectable hydrogels without 3D printing tools. This study opens possibilities for compartmentalized feedback reactions and their use in next generation materials fabrication.

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Independent responsive behaviour and communication in hydrogel objects

Abstract: We show the fabrication of autonomous soft hydrogel alginate-based objects, namely fibres and beads. They have an individually programmed time delay in their response to a shared environmental stimulus and the ability to communicate when in close proximity to one another.

Cited by 21 publications

References 33 publications

Oscillatory Light‐Emitting Biopolymer Based Janus Microswimmers

Oscillatory Light‐Emitting Biopolymer Based Janus Microswimmers

Switches induced by quorum sensing in a model of enzyme-loaded microparticles

Feedback and Communication in Active Hydrogel Spheres with pH Fronts: Facile Approaches to Grow Soft Hydrogel Structures

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