Anisotropic and self-healing hydrogels with multi-responsive actuating capability

Haili Qin, Tan Zhang, Na Li, Huai-Ping Cong () and Shu-Hong Yu ()
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Haili Qin: Hefei University of Technology
Tan Zhang: Hefei University of Technology
Na Li: Hefei University of Technology
Huai-Ping Cong: Hefei University of Technology
Shu-Hong Yu: University of Science and Technology of China

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Inspired by smart biological tissues, artificial muscle-like actuators offer fascinating prospects due to their distinctive shape transformation and self-healing function under external stimuli. However, further practical application is hindered by the lack of simple and general routes to fabricate ingenious soft materials with anisotropic responsiveness. Here, we describe a general in situ polymerization strategy for the fabrication of anisotropic hydrogels composed of highly-ordered lamellar network crosslinked by the metal nanostructure assemblies, accompanied with remarkably anisotropic performances on mechanical, optical, de-swelling and swelling behaviors. Owing to the dynamic thiolate-metal coordination as healing motifs, the composites exhibit rapid and efficient multi-responsive self-healing performance under NIR irradiation and low pH condition. Dependent on well-defined anisotropic structures, the hydrogel presents controllable solvent-responsive mechanical actuating performance. Impressively, the integrated device through a healing-induced assembly way can deliver more complicated, elaborate forms of actuation, demonstrating its great potentials as superior soft actuators like smart robots.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10243-8

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