Article
Chemistry, Applied
Zihan Ni, Xingyu Zheng, Binglian Bai, Haitao Wang, Jue Wei, Min Li
Summary: A new dimethylamino-substituted anthracylhydrazone derivative AHY was synthesized and its multi-stimuli responsive property and photopatterning behavior were studied. AHY exhibited mechanofluorochromic behavior and acidochromism under natural light. The green fluorescence of AHY could be quenched by TFA treatment. The photoluminescence quenching and photopatterning of AHY film were attributed to the trans-cis isomerization of -C--N- upon photo-irradiation.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaojiang Liu, Ming Gao, Jiayao Chen, Sheng Guo, Wei Zhu, Lichun Bai, Wenzheng Zhai, Hejun Du, Hong Wu, Chunze Yan, Yusheng Shi, Junwei Gu, Hang Jerry Qi, Kun Zhou
Summary: Researchers have developed various hydrogels inspired by shape-morphing organisms in nature, which exhibit stimuli-responsive swelling, shrinking, bending, folding, origami, rolling, twisting, or locomotion. These smart hydrogels are usually created through patterning or 4D printing, enabling the fabrication of complex microstructures. Under external stimuli, many hydrogels demonstrate recoverable shape morphing, making them promising for applications in grippers, sensors, valves, soft robotics, etc.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Luizetta Elliott, Erika E. Salzman, Julia R. Greer
Summary: The research focuses on utilizing benzyl methacrylate-based SMPs to create 3D structures with shape transformation capabilities through two photon lithography. The structures exhibit features such as 500 nm thick petals and 2.5 µm unit cells in cubic lattices.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Review
Polymer Science
Jigar Patdiya, Balasubramanian Kandasubramanian
Summary: Smart materials with sensing, memorizing, and changing capabilities have led to the development of 4D printing. This review article summarizes the progression of intelligent materials, important stimuli, multiple parameters, modeling of SMMs, filler interaction in SMCs, demand for 4D printing, and future challenges.
POLYMER-PLASTICS TECHNOLOGY AND MATERIALS
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Niranjana Jaya Prakash, Supriya Sanatkumar Sarkar, Balasubramanian Kandasubramanian
Summary: The development of implantable devices using biocompatible shape memory polymers offers a less invasive alternative to the insertion of large, impliable devices. Silk materials exhibit heterogeneity in their genetic structure and physical properties due to folding and unfolding processes, and possess stimuli-responsive properties. This article explores the stimuli-responsive nature of silk and its potential applications in biomedical devices.
MACROMOLECULAR BIOSCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jing Zhang, Benzhao He, Yubing Hu, Parvej Alam, Haoke Zhang, Jacky W. Y. Lam, Ben Zhong Tang
Summary: Stimuli-responsive AIEgens have shown great potential and impressive progress in various fields, with recent achievements summarized in terms of seven most representative stimulus types. By deciphering the key work principles behind them, new insights and guidelines are offered for the design of next-generation stimuli-responsive luminescent materials for broader applications.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shuo Shi, Miao Cui, Fengxin Sun, Kunkun Zhu, Mohammad Irfan Iqbal, Xiaoyu Chen, Bin Fei, Robert K. Y. Li, Qingyou Xia, Jinlian Hu
Summary: The researchers developed a two-way shape-memory cellulose vascular stent that can adjust its shape through mild solutions, and extensively studied its shape-memory characteristics, mechanical properties, cell toxicity, and biocompatibility. Experimental results showed that this vascular stent has excellent biocompatibility and supporting performance, which may contribute significantly to biomaterials science and the application of vascular stents.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Progyateg Chakma, Shiwanka V. Wanasinghe, Colleen N. Morley, Sebastian C. Francesconi, Kei Saito, Jessica L. Sparks, Dominik Konkolewicz
Summary: CANs based on TM linkages demonstrate thermal and pH responsiveness, while the addition of a vinyl-sulfone-based thiol-Michael crosslinker enables stable materials with dynamic properties. These materials exhibit excellent temperature-responsive re-healing and malleability properties, with the incorporation of a photoresponsive coumarin moiety introducing light-mediated reconfigureability and postpolymerization crosslinking. Overall, these materials can dynamically respond to heat and light on demand while maintaining mechanical stability at ambient conditions.
MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xinyun Ding, Yunan Shi, Shijie Xu, Yukun Zhang, Jiang Du, Jun Qiu
Summary: This study demonstrates a facile and efficient approach to fabricating a thermo-, electro-, and photo-responsive shape memory composite foam. The composite foam exhibits robust elastic resilience, efficient electrothermal/photothermal conversions, and super-amphiphilicity. By incorporating the carbon foam skeleton with in situ crosslinked polycaprolactone (PCL) layers, the composite foam shows high conductivity and excellent light absorption. It displays a sensitive electro- and photo-induced shape memory effect (SME) and can be used as a sensor for detecting electrolyte leakage.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Fahad H. Falqi, Osamah A. Bin-Dahman, Ahmed Khair, Mamdouh A. Al-Harthi
Summary: This study developed nanocomposites with different amounts of graphene in low-cost PVA/PEG materials and investigated their shape-memory performance under various actuation methods. The nanocomposite containing 0.2 wt% graphene exhibited the best shape-memory performance.
APPLIED PHYSICS A-MATERIALS SCIENCE & PROCESSING
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Chong Li, Zhi-Ke Peng, Qingbo He
Summary: This paper reports a stimuli-responsive elastic metamaterial with shape-morphing resonators, which achieves information-driven elastodynamics programming. The designed metamaterials exhibit a mechanical implementation of read-write operations, enabling proprioception of stimulation information and capabilities of information interaction, perceptual coding, and physical encryption.
Review
Automation & Control Systems
Yusen Zhao, Mutian Hua, Yichen Yan, Shuwang Wu, Yousif Alsaid, Ximin He
Summary: This article reviews recent progress in the use of stimuli-responsive polymers for soft robotics. Different types of representative stimuli-responsive polymers are introduced, and their actuation mechanisms and performance evaluation are discussed. Examples of soft robotic applications based on stimuli-responsive polymers are presented. Current opportunities and challenges of stimuli-responsive soft robots for future study are discussed.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF CONTROL ROBOTICS AND AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Xinxing Lin, Xiaolin Wang, Liangpeng Zeng, Zi Liang Wu, Hui Guo, Dominique Hourdet
Summary: This article provides a detailed review of hydrogels with stimuli-responsive toughness, discussing characteristic reinforcement mechanisms and demonstrating smart hydrogels that respond to various stimuli. Special attention is paid to thermal, light, pH, and salt triggers due to their broad applications and easy implementation. In addition, the applications and future development challenges of these smart hydrogels are summarized.
CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Min Gao, Jingfang Li, Ning Peng, Lijun Jiang, Sicong Zhao, Ding-Yi Fu, Guangming Li
Summary: The development of information storage materials and techniques with enhanced security level remains highly challenging. In this study, luminescent hydrogels were prepared by incorporating luminescent lanthanide complexes into non-covalent cross-linked gelatin/poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels. The resulting luminescent hydrogels exhibited reversible luminescent switching behavior, making them suitable for rewritable information security storage applications. Additionally, these hydrogels demonstrated low toxicity, appealing shape memory, and self-healing properties. The combination of shape memory, self-healing, and reversible luminescent switching properties allows for effective advanced information encryption. This work provides an alternative strategy for designing and fabricating smart optical soft materials for advanced information encryption.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Dennis Schoenfeld, Samantha Koss, Nils Vohl, Fabian Friess, Dieter Drescher, Thorsten Pretsch
Summary: Aligner therapy for orthodontic tooth movement is becoming increasingly important. This study introduces a thermo- and water-responsive shape memory polymer as a foundation for a new type of aligner therapy. The properties of the polymer were studied using differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis, and practical experiments were conducted. The results show that the polymer has the desired thermal and shape memory properties for orthodontic aligner applications.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sudheendran Mavila, Heidi R. Culver, Alex J. Anderson, Tania R. Prieto, Christopher N. Bowman
Summary: An athermal approach using self-immolative thioester linked nucleic acids (TENA) for mRNA enrichment from total RNA has shown comparable performance to a commercial kit. The method is compatible with downstream applications such as RT-qPCR for gene expression analysis.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tayler S. Hebner, Maciej Podgorski, Sudheendran Mavila, Timothy J. White, Christopher N. Bowman
Summary: In this study, diarylethene-functionalized liquid-crystalline elastomers containing thiol-anhydride bonds were prepared and shown to exhibit reversible and reprogrammable photoinduced actuation. The generated strain could be reversed optically over multiple cycles, and the nematic director could be reprogrammed through heating. These findings have significant implications for the application of liquid-crystalline elastomers.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Yunfeng Hu, Sudheendran Mavila, Maciej Podgorski, Jamie E. Kowalski, Robert R. McLeod, Christopher N. Bowman
Summary: This study investigates the effect of reaction and diffusion on the performance of thiol-ene-based holographic photopolymers. By controlling the rates of reaction and diffusion processes, the refractive index modulation and haze were evaluated. The results showed that changing the molecular weight of the polymer binder can vary the diffusion rate, while reducing the light intensity can decrease the reaction rate. Additionally, introducing a secondary thiol with slower reaction kinetics and a more stable thiyl radical can lower the refractive index modulation. An enhanced reactive binder with norbornene pendant groups was synthesized to achieve higher refractive index modulation at low light intensities.
Article
Polymer Science
Shafer M. Soars, Nicholas J. Bongiardina, Benjamin D. Fairbanks, Maciej Podgorski, Christopher N. Bowman
Summary: A new strategy combining photomediated thiol-ene and disulfide-ene-based polymerization reactions is reported for the design and synthesis of high sulfur-containing materials for potential use in covalent adaptable networks and optical materials. By taking advantage of the relative reaction rates and semiorthogonally performing these reactions, controlled architecture polymer networks were produced. The study demonstrates the differential reaction rates between thiol-ene and disulfide-ene reactions, enabling spatial and temporal manipulation of material properties through dual-cure networks and photopatterning.
Article
Polymer Science
Juan J. Hernandez, Adam L. Dobson, Benjamin J. Carberry, Alexa S. Kuenstler, Parag K. Shah, Kristi S. Anseth, Timothy J. White, Christopher N. Bowman
Summary: This study examined and predicted the degradation of thioester-containing networks facilitated by base-catalyzed thiol-thioester exchange. A statistical model was developed and compared to experimental results, showing that degradation times could be controlled by varying reaction conditions. Thioester-based composite materials were successfully degraded, achieving high recovery of the composite filler.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Benjamin R. Nelson, Bruce E. Kirkpatrick, Connor E. Miksch, Matthew D. Davidson, Nathaniel P. Skillin, Grace K. Hach, Alex Khang, Sydney N. Hummel, Benjamin D. Fairbanks, Jason A. Burdick, Christopher N. Bowman, Kristi S. Anseth
Summary: Researchers have developed a viscoelastic hydrogel with adaptable crosslinks to mimic time and position-dependent processes in tissues. By using 1,2-dithiolanes as dynamic covalent photocrosslinkers, the hydrogel can respond to multiple stimuli. Cell encapsulation is achieved through ligand-accelerated dithiolane ring-opening photopolymerization, enabling the study of 2D and 3D cell-material interactions.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Timothy J. White, Tayler S. Hebner, Joselle M. McCracken, Christopher N. Bowman
Summary: Liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) exhibit large, directional deformation when aligned, and surface-enforced alignment enables complex 3-D shape transformations. Two-step reaction schemes, such as aza-Michael or thiol-Michael oligomerization followed by photopolymerization, have been commonly used to enforce orientation within LCEs. This study examines the impact of molecular weight on the stimulus response of LCEs, emphasizing its importance over the specific reaction used to form the oligomer.
Article
Polymer Science
Alexa S. Kuenstler, Christopher N. Bowman
Summary: The effect of varying nucleophilic strength of catalysts on thiol-thioester bond exchange dynamics and crystallization in a semicrystalline polymer network was investigated. The characteristic time scale of covalent bond exchange could be adjusted by changing the nucleophilicity of the catalyst. Crystallization kinetics were found to slow down with faster bond exchange rates, and a depression in melting temperature was observed with increasing bond exchange rate. Long-term DSC studies showed that bond exchange facilitated isothermal crystal rearrangement and growth.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tayler S. Hebner, Kevin Korner, Christopher N. Bowman, Kaushik Bhattacharya, Timothy J. White
Summary: This study demonstrates a rapid and powerful snap-through response in liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) by locally patterning the director orientation of LCEs and fabricating mechanical elements with through-thickness modulus gradients. The LCE elements exhibit a rapid acceleration and force output, enabling them to leap to heights over 200 times the material thickness in as fast as 6 ms.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Alexa S. Kuenstler, Juan J. Hernandez, Marianela Trujillo-Lemon, Alexander Osterbaan, Christopher N. Bowman
Summary: In order to advance additive manufacturing capabilities, novel resin formulations are required to produce high-fidelity parts with desired mechanical properties that can be easily recycled. This study presents a thiol-ene-based system incorporating semicrystallinity and dynamic thioester bonds to create polymer networks. The materials show ultimate toughness values >16 MJ cm(-3), similar to high-performance literature precedents. The treatment of these networks with excess thiols allows for thiol-thioester exchange, degrading polymerized networks into functional oligomers that can be repolymerized into constructs with varying thermomechanical properties.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Tayler S. Hebner, Riley G. A. Bowman, Daniel Duffy, Cyrus Mostajeran, Itay Griniasty, Itai Cohen, Mark Warner, Christopher N. Bowman, Timothy J. White
Summary: Liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) are shape-changing materials that undergo large deformations in response to stimuli. By locally controlling the orientation of LCEs, we can achieve spontaneous shape changes in these materials. In this study, we propose a novel approach to shape-morphing in LCEs by spatially patterning the crosslink density to regulate the material deformation on a prescribed interface curve. We also develop a simple mathematical model to describe the behavior of LCEs. Through experiments and mathematical modeling, we demonstrate the control of Gaussian curvature and design self-cleaning LCEs based on temperature-dependent actuation properties.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Yunfeng Hu, Maciej Podgorski, Sudheendran Mavila, Jasmine Sinha, Benjamin D. Fairbanks, Robert R. McLeod, Christopher N. Bowman
Summary: Dynamic covalent chemistry was employed to improve the holographic grating performance by facilitating diffusion of monomers and network rearrangement in a holographic photopolymer system. The radical-mediated addition-fragmentation chain transfer reaction between allyl sulfide (AS) moieties and thiols provided high spatiotemporal control, making it well-suited for high-quality holographic photopolymers. The exchange with a monofunctional thiol resulted in a significant decrease in molecular weight and viscosity, improving the recording formulations with limited diffusion of monomer and demonstrating a notable improvement of the refractive index modulation.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Juan J. Hernandez, Gopal Reddy Sama, Yunfeng Hu, Shafer Soars, Claire E. Niemet, Cassandra M. Sanchez, Christopher N. Bowman
Summary: Two-stage polymerizing-then-degrading networks are achieved by sequentially performing thiol-ene photopolymerization and radical-mediated thioaminal scission. Thioaminal scission occurs via ss-scission of the carbon next to the sulfur atom and is influenced by thiol substitution. Additionally, thioaminal scission occurs semi-orthogonally with the radical-mediated thiol-ene reaction.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Yunfeng Hu, Shafer M. Soars, Bruce E. Kirkpatrick, Maciej Podgorski, Nicholas Bongiardina, Benjamin D. Fairbanks, Kristi S. Anseth, Christopher N. Bowman
Summary: This paper explores the utility of sequential thiol-ene and disulfide-ene photopolymerizations in materials applications such as shape fixation, photolithography, and holographic recording. By taking advantage of the significant difference in reaction rates between these two reactions, two-stage photopolymers with high specificity are formed. The dynamic behavior and shape fixation capabilities of these materials are demonstrated. The mechanical properties under stress are studied using techniques such as photolithography and polarized light microscopy. Additionally, the integrated network in the two-stage system is utilized for holographic grating recording with high refractive index modulation (Delta n) and low haze.
Article
Polymer Science
Nicholas J. Bongiardina, Shafer M. Soars, Maciej Podgorski, Christopher N. Bowman
Summary: This study evaluated radical-disulfide exchange reactions in thiol-ene-disulfide networks using different thiol and disulfide containing monomers. The results show that the stress relaxation rate in these networks can be controlled by changing the thiol-disulfide stoichiometry or the disulfide type. The combination of different thiol and disulfide monomers also influences the polymerization rate of the thiol-ene reaction.
