DataVXAdvanced MaterialsPaper
journal article·2023-10Open access

Overcoming Water Diffusion Limitations in Hydrogels via Microtubular Graphene Networks for Soft Actuators

Margarethe Hauck, Lena M. Saure, Berit Zeller‐Plumhoff, Sören Kaps, Jörg Hammel, Caprice Mohr, Lena Rieck, Ali Shaygan Nia, Xinliang Feng, Nicola M. Pugno, Rainer Adelung, Fabian Schütt

Advanced Materials· Volume 35· Issue 41
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Source abstract

Abstract

Abstract Hydrogel‐based soft actuators can operate in sensitive environments, bridging the gap of rigid machines interacting with soft matter. However, while stimuli‐responsive hydrogels can undergo extreme reversible volume changes of up to ≈90%, water transport in hydrogel actuators is in general limited by their poroelastic behavior. For poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) the actuation performance is even further compromised by the formation of a dense skin layer. Here it is shown, that incorporating a bioinspired microtube graphene network into a PNIPAM matrix with a total porosity of only 5.4% dramatically enhances actuation dynamics by up to ≈400% and actuation stress by ≈4000% without sacrificing the mechanical stability, overcoming the water transport limitations. The graphene network provides both untethered light‐controlled and electrically powered actuation. It is anticipated that the concept provides a versatile platform for enhancing the functionality of soft matter by combining responsive and 2D materials, paving the way toward designing soft intelligent matter.
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Research context

PolymersNanomaterials

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Materials and Mechanics · Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials · Micro and Nano Robotics

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Functional Nanomaterials Department of Materials Science Kiel University 24143 Kiel Germany

Institute of Metallic Biomaterials Helmholtz‐Zentrum Hereon Max‐Planck‐Str. 1 21502 Geesthacht Germany

Kiel Nano Surface and Interface Science KiNSIS Kiel University 24118 Kiel Germany

Institute of Materials Physics Helmholtz‐Zentrum Hereon Max‐Planck‐Str. 1 21502 Geesthacht Germany

Department of Chemistry and Food Chemistry Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden (cfaed) Technische Universität Dresden 01062 Dresden Germany

Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics Weinberg 2 06120 Halle Germany

Laboratory for Bioinspired Bionic Nano Meta Materials & Mechanics Department of Civil Environmental and Mechanical Engineering University of Trento via Mesiano 77 Trento I‐38123 Italy

School of Engineering and Materials Science Queen Mary University of London Mile End Road London E1 4NS UK

Funding

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft · European Commission · Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung

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