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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 15, 2025

Fabricating Degradable Thermoresponsive Hydrogels on Multiple Length Scales via Reactive Extrusion, Microfluidics, Self-assembly, and Electrospinning

Fabricating Degradable Thermoresponsive Hydrogels on Multiple Length Scales via Reactive Extrusion, Microfluidics, Self-assembly, and Electrospinning

Published on: April 16, 2018

Differential diffusion driven far-from-equilibrium shape-shifting of hydrogels.

Yue Zhang^1,2, Kangkang Liu¹, Tao Liu³

¹State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China.

Nature Communications

|October 26, 2021

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study introduces a novel hydrogel exhibiting far-from-equilibrium (FFE) behavior, leading to unprecedented shape-shifting capabilities. The material demonstrates two opposite shape changes from a single stimulus, significantly accelerating the process.

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Area of Science:

Materials Science
Soft Matter Physics
Chemical Engineering

Background:

Far-from-equilibrium (FFE) conditions drive unique natural phenomena.
Synthetic shape-shifting materials typically evolve between equilibrium states, limiting behavioral complexity.
Existing materials lack the dynamic range seen in FFE systems.

Purpose of the Study:

To engineer a synthetic material capable of exhibiting FFE-like shape-shifting behavior.
To explore novel shape-shifting mechanisms beyond equilibrium pathways.
To investigate the potential of FFE conditions for advanced material functionalities.

Main Methods:

Programming stress into a hydrogel to induce non-equilibrium water diffusion.
Utilizing temperature as a trigger for shape-shifting events.
Analyzing the interplay between geometric changes and diffusion contrast.

Main Results:

The hydrogel demonstrated an unanticipated FFE-like shape-shifting behavior.
Programmed stress and resulting diffusion asymmetry pushed the hydrogel off its equilibrium pathway.
A self-amplifying sequence led to two opposite shape changes under a single stimulus, with over an order of magnitude speed increase.

Conclusions:

Creating FFE conditions in synthetic materials unlocks novel shape-shifting behaviors.
This approach overcomes limitations of equilibrium-based material design.
Potential applications include soft robotics, advanced actuators, and medical devices.