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An Additive Manufacturing Technique for the Facile and Rapid Fabrication of Hydrogel-based Micromachines with Magnetically Responsive Components
Published on: July 18, 2018
Magnetic manipulation of liquid-wrapped hydrogels
Utsab Banerjee1, Sirshendu Misra1, Sushanta K Mitra1
1Micro & Nano-scale Transport Laboratory, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada. skmitra@uwaterloo.ca.
This study demonstrates a novel liquid-liquid encapsulation method for creating magnetic hydrogels. These magneto-responsive hydrogels show promise for controlled release applications in drug delivery and underwater manipulation.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Hydrogels are versatile materials with applications in various fields.
- Controlling the release and manipulation of hydrogels is crucial for advanced applications.
- Magnetic hydrogels offer unique possibilities for responsive systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel liquid-liquid encapsulation technique for magnetic and non-magnetic hydrogels.
- To create magneto-responsive compound encapsulated cargos.
- To explore the potential applications of these encapsulated hydrogels.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing a liquid-liquid encapsulation technique.
- Suspending hydrogels in laser oil to form compound core droplets.
- Wrapping droplets with an interfacial layer of canola oil on a water bath.
Main Results:
- Successful encapsulation of magnetic and non-magnetic hydrogels.
- Production of magneto-responsive compound encapsulated cargos.
- Demonstration of enhanced stability, controlled release, and underwater manipulation capabilities.
Conclusions:
- The developed liquid-liquid encapsulation technique is effective for creating magnetic hydrogels.
- These magneto-responsive hydrogels have significant potential in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and soft robotics.
- The research opens new avenues for dynamic and responsive systems utilizing magnetic hydrogels.
