ap0c00609_si_002.mp4 (10.13 MB)
Macromolecular Phase-Transition-Driven Motility of Hollow Hydrogel Tubes
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posted on 2020-08-04, 10:14 authored by Qing Chen, Wei Huang, Qiuhua Zhao, Lidong ZhangThe
research emphasis and novelty of this work focus on the phase-transition
effects on the structural deformation of hollow hydrogel tubes in
an aqueous system, where the cross-linking poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) plays a critical role. Upon heating/cooling
to 31 °C, the hydrogel tube proceeds with a homogeneous-to-heterogeneous
phase transition that enables asymmetric expansion or contraction
and induces shape-programmed deformation. The phase-transition regions
can be patterned to bring the tube into a shape-programmed motility.
The salt effect triggers the tube for controlled shape deformation
at 17 °C, which endows the hollow hydrogel tubes with more promising
potential in biomedical areas.