10.1021/acsami.9b04258.s001
Jiang Wei
Jiang
Wei
Xiaxin Qiu
Xiaxin
Qiu
Lidong Zhang
Lidong
Zhang
Photocrosslinking
Patterning of Single-Layered Polymer
Actuators for Controllable Motility and Automatic Devices
American Chemical Society
2019
acetone vapor
bilayer polymer actuators
shape-programmed deformation
shape-programmed motions
Photocrosslinking Patterning
shape-programmed motility
4 MPa
Controllable Motility
40 MPa
Automatic Devices Shape-programmed deformation
work reports
single-layered structure
self-adaptive devices
power output
shape-programmed deformations
application
polymer film actuator
contracting stress
5.09 g
acetone vapors
polymer films
response
Single-Layered Polymer Actuators
polyvinylidene fluoride film
2019-04-05 00:00:00
Journal contribution
https://acs.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Photocrosslinking_Patterning_of_Single-Layered_Polymer_Actuators_for_Controllable_Motility_and_Automatic_Devices/8001299
Shape-programmed
deformation of soft polymer films is essential
for applications in robotics, self-adaptive devices, and sensors.
In comparison to bilayer polymer actuators, the challenge remains
to manipulate single-layered soft actuators for rapid, reversible,
and shape-programmed deformations in response to external stimuli
owing to their homogeneous composite structures. Herein, this work
reports a soft polymer film actuator that has a single-layered structure,
yet demonstrates the shape-programmed motility. The actuator is composed
of polyvinylidene fluoride film as a matrix and patterned by photocrosslinking
of acrylamide and <i>N</i>′,<i>N</i>′-methylenebisacrylamide,
which generates soft–hard alternating segments in the structure.
As it is exposed to acetone vapors, the soft–hard structures
lead to an unequal response that results in the shape-programmed deformation.
The actuator is elastic (strain: 160%) and tough (stress: 40 MPa)
and can maintain its rapid, reversible, and shape-programmed motions
for a few hours, even longer. The soft–hard structure enables
the film actuator (3.5 mg) to give a contracting stress of 4 MPa that
is used in an automatic device able to lift a cargo of 5.09 g, ∼1453
times heavier than the film itself. The power output reaches 474 J
kg<sup>–1</sup>, ∼100 times higher than the reported
soft actuators. This simple application indicates a potential for
the soft actuator used in acetone vapor sensing devices.