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Microfiber-Shaped Programmable Materials with Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogel.

Nobuki Takeuchi1, Shunsuke Nakajima1, Koki Yoshida1

  • 1Department of Mechanical Engineering and Faculty of Science, Technology, Keio University, Kanagawa, Japan.

Soft Robotics
|December 4, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed a novel microfiber-shaped programmable material using stimuli-responsive hydrogels. This innovation enables self-folding 3D structures and soft actuation for biomimetics and soft robotics.

Keywords:
biomimeticsmicrofiberprogrammable materialsstimuli-responsive hydrogelvalve-controlled microfluidic device

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Polymer Science
  • Soft Robotics

Background:

  • Programmable materials offer design flexibility and responsiveness to external stimuli.
  • Developing advanced fiber-based materials is crucial for biomimetics and soft robotics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To design and fabricate a microfiber-shaped programmable material with patterned stimuli-responsive (SR) regions.
  • To investigate the self-folding behavior and chirality of the fabricated microfibers in response to thermal stimuli.
  • To demonstrate the application of these microfibers as soft actuators for object interaction.

Main Methods:

  • Fabrication of microfiber-shaped programmable material by mixing SR pre-gel solution with sodium alginate pre-gel solution.
  • Utilizing a valve-controlled microfluidic system for instantaneous gelation and solidification.
  • Altering the coded sequence program to modify the patterned positions of SR regions.
  • Applying thermal stimuli to induce self-folding and observing the resulting 3D coil-like structures.

Main Results:

  • Successfully created microfiber-shaped programmable materials with patterned SR and nonresponsive hydrogel regions.
  • Confirmed self-folding into 3D coil-like structures at patterned SR regions in response to thermal stimuli.
  • Demonstrated that the chirality of the self-folded structures is stimulus-condition dependent.
  • Showcased the microfiber's capability to interact with objects as a soft actuator.

Conclusions:

  • The developed microfiber-shaped programmable material offers high design flexibility and responsiveness.
  • The material's ability to form stimulus-responsive 3D structures and act as a soft actuator expands possibilities in fiber-based materials.
  • This innovation holds significant potential for advancements in biomimetics and soft robotics.