Abstract
Skeletal muscle provides inspiration on how to achieve reversible, macroscopic, anisotropic motion in soft materials. Here we report on the bottom-up design of macroscopic tubes that exhibit anisotropic actuation driven by a thermal stimulus. The tube is built from a hydrogel in which extremely long supramolecular nanofibers are aligned using weak shear forces, followed by radial growth of thermoresponsive polymers from their surfaces. The hierarchically ordered tube exhibits reversible anisotropic actuation with changes in temperature, with much greater contraction perpendicular to the direction of nanofiber alignment. We identify two critical factors for the anisotropic actuation, macroscopic alignment of the supramolecular scaffold and its covalent bonding to polymer chains. Using finite element analysis and molecular calculations, we conclude polymer chain confinement and mechanical reinforcement by rigid supramolecular nanofibers are responsible for the anisotropic actuation. The work reported suggests strategies to create soft active matter with molecularly encoded capacity to perform complex tasks.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 2395 |
| Journal | Nature Communications |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 1 2018 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Chemistry(all)
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
Cite this
Covalent-supramolecular hybrid polymers as muscle-inspired anisotropic actuators. / Chin, Stacey M.; Synatschke, Christopher V.; Liu, Shuangping; Nap, Rikkert J.; Sather, Nicholas A.; Wang, Qifeng; Álvarez, Zaida; Edelbrock, Alexandra N.; Fyrner, Timmy; Palmer, Liam C.; Szleifer, Igal; Olvera De La Cruz, Monica; Stupp, Samuel I.
In: Nature Communications, Vol. 9, No. 1, 2395, 01.12.2018.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Covalent-supramolecular hybrid polymers as muscle-inspired anisotropic actuators
AU - Chin, Stacey M.
AU - Synatschke, Christopher V.
AU - Liu, Shuangping
AU - Nap, Rikkert J.
AU - Sather, Nicholas A.
AU - Wang, Qifeng
AU - Álvarez, Zaida
AU - Edelbrock, Alexandra N.
AU - Fyrner, Timmy
AU - Palmer, Liam C.
AU - Szleifer, Igal
AU - Olvera De La Cruz, Monica
AU - Stupp, Samuel I
PY - 2018/12/1
Y1 - 2018/12/1
N2 - Skeletal muscle provides inspiration on how to achieve reversible, macroscopic, anisotropic motion in soft materials. Here we report on the bottom-up design of macroscopic tubes that exhibit anisotropic actuation driven by a thermal stimulus. The tube is built from a hydrogel in which extremely long supramolecular nanofibers are aligned using weak shear forces, followed by radial growth of thermoresponsive polymers from their surfaces. The hierarchically ordered tube exhibits reversible anisotropic actuation with changes in temperature, with much greater contraction perpendicular to the direction of nanofiber alignment. We identify two critical factors for the anisotropic actuation, macroscopic alignment of the supramolecular scaffold and its covalent bonding to polymer chains. Using finite element analysis and molecular calculations, we conclude polymer chain confinement and mechanical reinforcement by rigid supramolecular nanofibers are responsible for the anisotropic actuation. The work reported suggests strategies to create soft active matter with molecularly encoded capacity to perform complex tasks.
AB - Skeletal muscle provides inspiration on how to achieve reversible, macroscopic, anisotropic motion in soft materials. Here we report on the bottom-up design of macroscopic tubes that exhibit anisotropic actuation driven by a thermal stimulus. The tube is built from a hydrogel in which extremely long supramolecular nanofibers are aligned using weak shear forces, followed by radial growth of thermoresponsive polymers from their surfaces. The hierarchically ordered tube exhibits reversible anisotropic actuation with changes in temperature, with much greater contraction perpendicular to the direction of nanofiber alignment. We identify two critical factors for the anisotropic actuation, macroscopic alignment of the supramolecular scaffold and its covalent bonding to polymer chains. Using finite element analysis and molecular calculations, we conclude polymer chain confinement and mechanical reinforcement by rigid supramolecular nanofibers are responsible for the anisotropic actuation. The work reported suggests strategies to create soft active matter with molecularly encoded capacity to perform complex tasks.
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U2 - 10.1038/s41467-018-04800-w
DO - 10.1038/s41467-018-04800-w
M3 - Article
C2 - 29921928
AN - SCOPUS:85048783074
VL - 9
JO - Nature Communications
JF - Nature Communications
SN - 2041-1723
IS - 1
M1 - 2395
ER -