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Dynamic Solvent Responsiveness through Polarity-Driven Shape Transformation of 4D-Printed Responsive Cellulosic
Sanchita Dhanchandra Sangave1, Purushottam Suryavanshi1, Srushti Lekurwale1
1Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sila Katamur (Halugurisuk), Changsari Kamrup, Guwahati 781101, India.
ACS Applied Bio Materials
|January 26, 2026
Summary
This study introduces 4D-printed responsive cellulosic composite (RCC) strips with tunable shape-memory behavior. The material
Area of Science:
- Additive Manufacturing
- Materials Science
- Polymer Science
Background:
- Four-dimensional (4D) printing enables dynamic, stimuli-responsive structures.
- Additive manufacturing is evolving with stimuli-responsive materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop 4D-printed responsive cellulosic composite (RCC) strips.
- To investigate the solvent-responsive shape-memory behavior of RCC strips.
Main Methods:
- Fused filament fabrication (FFF) technology was used to create RCC strips with varying ratios of AFFINISOL (AFF) and thermoplastic starch (TPS).
- Characterization included thermal properties, fluid uptake, and solvent-responsive shape-memory behavior evaluation using water and solvents of varying polarities.
Main Results:
- 4D-printed RCC strips exhibited a glass transition temperature (Tg) between 97-104 °C and high fluid uptake (~70% in 4h).
- Maximum shape recovery index (SRI) of 0.98 was achieved in water within 105 min.
- Shape recovery rate was dependent on solvent polarity, with hindered recovery in ethanol and no recovery in n-hexane, attributed to matrix-solvent interactions and diffusion rates.
Conclusions:
- The study establishes an avenue for innovative solvent-responsive shape-memory behavior in 4D-printed RCC strips.
- These findings highlight the potential of FFF-mediated 4D-printed RCC strips for applications in biomedical engineering, tissue engineering, soft robotics, and reconfigurable systems.
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