UV Light-Mediated Hydrolytic Reaction to Develop Magnetic Hydrogel Actuators with Spatially Distributed Ferriferous
Tongxin Jiang1, Yingying Zhang1, Jinqiang Jiang1
1Key Laboratory of Syngas Conversion of Shaanxi Province, Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710062, China.
Abstract:
Magnetic hydrogel actuators are developed by incorporating magnetic fillers into the hydrogel matrix. Regulating the distribution of these fillers is key to the exhibited functionalities but is still challenging. Here a facile way to spatially synthesize ferrosoferric oxide (Fe3O4) microparticles in situ in a thermal-responsive hydrogel is reported. This method involves the photo-reduction of Fe3+ ions coordinated with carboxylate groups in polymer chains, and the hydrolytic reaction of the reduced Fe2+ ions with residual Fe3+ ions. By controlling the irradiation time and position, the concentration of Fe3O4 microparticles can be spatially controlled, and the resulting Fe3O4 pattern enables the hydrogel to exhibit complex locomotion driven by magnet, temperature, and NIR light. This method is convenient and extendable to other hydrogel systems to realize more complicated magneto-responsive functionalities.
