Light‐Actuated Anisotropic Microactuators from CNT/Hydrogel Nanocomposites
Authors
Gregg, Aoife
De Volder, Michael FL
Baumberg, Jeremy J
Publication Date
2022-05-11Journal Title
Advanced Optical Materials
ISSN
2195-1071
Language
en
Type
Article
This Version
AO
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Metadata
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Gregg, A., De Volder, M. F., & Baumberg, J. J. (2022). Light‐Actuated Anisotropic Microactuators from CNT/Hydrogel Nanocomposites. Advanced Optical Materials https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.202200180
Abstract
Abstract: Over the past decades, functional hydrogels that respond to a variety of mechanical and chemical stimuli with a volume change of more than 100% have been developed. Despite this impressive behavior, practical applications of conventional hydrogels are limited by the need to transform their isotropic swelling/contraction into useful deformations, as well as their slow response times. Here, these challenges are addressed by combining poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM), a widely used temperature‐responsive polymer, with carbon nanotubes (CNTs). To ensure strong PNIPAM−CNT cohesion, the hydrogel is synthesized directly on the CNT surfaces using in situ redox polymerization. The anisotropy of vertically‐aligned CNT forests is used to transform the isotropic (de)swelling of PNIPAM into anisotropic motion. This material combination is particularly attractive because the high optical absorption and heat conductivity of carbon nanotubes converts light irradiation into PNIPAM actuation. A wide variety of CNT‐skeleton microstructures are tested to reveal a range of actuation behaviors. The authors demonstrate fast reversible movement, active switching from low to high light absorption states, lattice shape changes, and good cycling stability.
Keywords
Research Article, Research Articles, carbon nanotubes, hydrogel, light actuation, microactuators, soft robotics, vertically aligned CNTs
Sponsorship
European Research Council (ERC) under Horizon 2020 (883703 (PICOFORCE), 861950 (POSEIDON))
ERC Consolidator Grant (8866005 (MIGHTY))
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) (EP/N016920/1, EP/L015978/1 (Cambridge NanoDTC), EP/L027151/1, EP/S022953/1, EP/P029426/1, EP/R020965/1, 2338185)
Identifiers
adom202200180
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.202200180
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/337032
Rights
Licence:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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