Bilayer Hydrogel Actuators with High Mechanical Properties and Programmable Actuation via the Synergy of Double-Network and Synchronized Ultraviolet Polymerization Strategies
Bilayer hydrogel actuators, consisting of an actuating layer and a functional layer, show broad applications in areas such as soft robotics, artificial muscles, drug delivery and tissue engineering due to their inherent flexibility and responses to stimuli. However, to achieve the compatibility of g...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Polymers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/16/6/840 |
| _version_ | 1797239526255493120 |
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| author | Li Tang Xuemei Wu Yue Xu Youwei Li Shaoji Wu Liang Gong Jianxin Tang |
| author_facet | Li Tang Xuemei Wu Yue Xu Youwei Li Shaoji Wu Liang Gong Jianxin Tang |
| author_sort | Li Tang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Bilayer hydrogel actuators, consisting of an actuating layer and a functional layer, show broad applications in areas such as soft robotics, artificial muscles, drug delivery and tissue engineering due to their inherent flexibility and responses to stimuli. However, to achieve the compatibility of good stimulus responses and high mechanical properties of bilayer hydrogel actuators is still a challenge. Herein, based on the double-network strategy and using the synchronous ultraviolet (UV) polymerization method, an upper critical solution temperature (UCST)-type bilayer hydrogel actuator was prepared, which consisted of a poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid)[MC] actuating layer and an agar/poly(N-hydroxyethyl acrylamide-co-methacrylic acid)[AHA] functional layer. The results showed that the tensile stress/strain of the bilayer hydrogel actuator was 1161.21 KPa/222.07%. In addition, the UCST of bilayer hydrogels was ~35 °C, allowing the bilayer hydrogel actuator to be curled into an “◎” shape, which could be unfolded when the temperature was 65 °C, but not at a temperature of 5 °C. Furthermore, hydrogel actuators of three different shapes were designed, namely “butterfly”, “cross” and “circle”, all of which demonstrated good actuating performances, showing the programmable potential of bilayer hydrogels. Overall, the bilayer hydrogels prepared using double-network and synchronous UV polymerization strategies realized the combination of high mechanical properties with an efficient temperature actuation, which provides a new method for the development of bilayer hydrogel actuators. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:52:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8a4cef61e09143e9b79747ff3bcd9e1f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:52:56Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Polymers |
| spelling | doaj.art-8a4cef61e09143e9b79747ff3bcd9e1f2024-03-27T14:01:28ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602024-03-0116684010.3390/polym16060840Bilayer Hydrogel Actuators with High Mechanical Properties and Programmable Actuation via the Synergy of Double-Network and Synchronized Ultraviolet Polymerization StrategiesLi Tang0Xuemei Wu1Yue Xu2Youwei Li3Shaoji Wu4Liang Gong5Jianxin Tang6College of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou 412007, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou 412007, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou 412007, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou 412007, ChinaSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou 412007, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou 412007, ChinaBilayer hydrogel actuators, consisting of an actuating layer and a functional layer, show broad applications in areas such as soft robotics, artificial muscles, drug delivery and tissue engineering due to their inherent flexibility and responses to stimuli. However, to achieve the compatibility of good stimulus responses and high mechanical properties of bilayer hydrogel actuators is still a challenge. Herein, based on the double-network strategy and using the synchronous ultraviolet (UV) polymerization method, an upper critical solution temperature (UCST)-type bilayer hydrogel actuator was prepared, which consisted of a poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid)[MC] actuating layer and an agar/poly(N-hydroxyethyl acrylamide-co-methacrylic acid)[AHA] functional layer. The results showed that the tensile stress/strain of the bilayer hydrogel actuator was 1161.21 KPa/222.07%. In addition, the UCST of bilayer hydrogels was ~35 °C, allowing the bilayer hydrogel actuator to be curled into an “◎” shape, which could be unfolded when the temperature was 65 °C, but not at a temperature of 5 °C. Furthermore, hydrogel actuators of three different shapes were designed, namely “butterfly”, “cross” and “circle”, all of which demonstrated good actuating performances, showing the programmable potential of bilayer hydrogels. Overall, the bilayer hydrogels prepared using double-network and synchronous UV polymerization strategies realized the combination of high mechanical properties with an efficient temperature actuation, which provides a new method for the development of bilayer hydrogel actuators.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/16/6/840bilayer hydrogelshydrogel actuatorsmechanical propertiesUCSThydrogen bondsmart materials |
| spellingShingle | Li Tang Xuemei Wu Yue Xu Youwei Li Shaoji Wu Liang Gong Jianxin Tang Bilayer Hydrogel Actuators with High Mechanical Properties and Programmable Actuation via the Synergy of Double-Network and Synchronized Ultraviolet Polymerization Strategies Polymers bilayer hydrogels hydrogel actuators mechanical properties UCST hydrogen bond smart materials |
| title | Bilayer Hydrogel Actuators with High Mechanical Properties and Programmable Actuation via the Synergy of Double-Network and Synchronized Ultraviolet Polymerization Strategies |
| title_full | Bilayer Hydrogel Actuators with High Mechanical Properties and Programmable Actuation via the Synergy of Double-Network and Synchronized Ultraviolet Polymerization Strategies |
| title_fullStr | Bilayer Hydrogel Actuators with High Mechanical Properties and Programmable Actuation via the Synergy of Double-Network and Synchronized Ultraviolet Polymerization Strategies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bilayer Hydrogel Actuators with High Mechanical Properties and Programmable Actuation via the Synergy of Double-Network and Synchronized Ultraviolet Polymerization Strategies |
| title_short | Bilayer Hydrogel Actuators with High Mechanical Properties and Programmable Actuation via the Synergy of Double-Network and Synchronized Ultraviolet Polymerization Strategies |
| title_sort | bilayer hydrogel actuators with high mechanical properties and programmable actuation via the synergy of double network and synchronized ultraviolet polymerization strategies |
| topic | bilayer hydrogels hydrogel actuators mechanical properties UCST hydrogen bond smart materials |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/16/6/840 |
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