Multifunctional gradient hydrogel with ultrafast thermo-responsive actuation and ultrahigh conductivity

Abstract

Bioinspired hydrogel with both outstanding actuation and conductive properties still remains challenging. Here, we use a simple and universal method to fabricate an octopus-tentacle inspired multifunctional gradient hydrogel with both...

Functional conductive hydrogels: from performance to flexible sensor applications

“…Hydrogels are polymeric materials with a three-dimensional crosslinked network containing a large amount of water, showing high surface area, excellent biocompatibility, high tissue similarity, and easy-to-adjust properties, and hydrogels have been widely studied in the fields of cell/tissue engineering, biomedicine, energy storage devices, electronic skin, and soft robotics. [16][17][18][19][20] As early as 1960, hydrogels were defined by Wichterle as cross-linked macromolecular networks with water-swelling properties. 21 Early hydrogels were single-network hydrogels with poor mechanical strength and were easily crushed by external forces.…”

“…Hydrogels are polymeric materials with a three-dimensional cross-linked network containing a large amount of water, showing high surface area, excellent biocompatibility, high tissue similarity, and easy-to-adjust properties, and hydrogels have been widely studied in the fields of cell/tissue engineering, biomedicine, energy storage devices, electronic skin, and soft robotics. 16–20…”

NIR responsive and conductive PNIPAM/PANI nanocomposite hydrogels with high stretchability for self-sensing actuators

“…[1][2][3] The actuation mechanism of most hydrogel actuators is based on switching their dimension and shape by absorbing and releasing water in and out of their networks under external stimuli such as temperature, pH value, humidity, electric/magnetic fields, and light from the ambient environment. [4][5][6][7][8][9] So far, hydrogel-based soft actuators have realized a variety of movements, such as walking, 10,11 grasping, [12][13][14] jumping and rolling, 15 crawling, 16,17 swimming, 18 and controlling the flow flux as smart valves. 5,[19][20][21] Admittedly, the features in softness and shape adaptability to ambient environments have endowed the hydrogel actuators with promising multi-functionality to mimic biological systems.…”

A hydrogel gripper enabling fine movement based on spatiotemporal mineralization

“…Investigators have used field-assisted methods to prepare one integral hydrogel with gradient pores, including electric field, 17 magnetic field 18 and gravity field methods. 19 Even so, these approaches are relatively troublesome. Besides, it remains a great challenge to realize the delicate tailoring of the fine movement based on double-layer and gradient hydrogels.…”