A microfluidic actuator based on a stimuli-responsive hydrogel grafted into Cucurbita moschata xylems

A chemical actuator was developed taking advantage of the internal microstructure of a plant stem. Stem xylems of Cucurbita moschata were chemically modified with a pH-responsive polymer to obtain an intelligent hydraulic valve. The chemical composition of the device was based mainly on biological scaffolds combined with a minimum content of a tailor-made synthetic copolymer. A pH-sensitive hydrogel composed of a copolymer of acrylic acid was grafted on the inner surface of stem microchannels, assessing the physicochemical properties and the response of the developed actuator under different pressure and pH conditions. Variation of average microcapillary diameter in response to pH stimuli was estimated using Poiseuille's model. This microfluidic device demonstrated the pH-responsive properties and efficient control of flux, showing its open/close transition at pH 3.25 and mechanical stability until pressures of 1.75 meters of water column (mH₂O). This actuator has adequate response to open/close cycling and relevance to be evaluated as a pH-response valve of aqueous systems. This kind of actuator is a research topic of high interest with potential application to technology demands.