From Sea Cucumbers to Soft Robots: A Photothermal-Responsive Hydrogel Actuator with Shape Memory.

Journal: ACS applied materials & interfaces
PMID: 39829137

Abstract

Soft robotics has undergone considerable progress driven by materials that can effectively transduce external stimuli into mechanical actuation. Here, we report the development of a photothermal-responsive hydrogel actuator with shape memory capabilities inspired by the adaptive locomotion of sea cucumbers. This actuator is based on sea cucumber peptides (SCP) and a liquid metal (LM) hydrogel network that is responsive to near-infrared (NIR) light. Upon NIR irradiation, the hydrogel undergoes a phase transition from a swollen to a collapsed state, resulting in a controlled volumetric and shape change. Incorporating a shape memory polymer (SMP) into the hydrogel matrix facilitates the actuator's retention of its deformed configuration following stimulus removal, thereby enabling intricate, multiphase shape transformations. This SCP/LM hydrogel overcomes the limitations of traditional hydrogels and achieves good stretchability (3,000%) and enough adhesion (21 kPa), exhibiting no toxicity to human cells. Furthermore, the actuator exhibited significant bending and complex deformation within 100 s of NIR exposure. This photothermal-responsive hydrogel actuator offers new opportunities for soft robotics and biomedical applications, showcasing a potential pathway for incorporating shape memory and photothermal-responsive materials into the next generation of smart soft devices.

Authors

  • Jinxue Zhao
    College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
  • Xuejing Zhai
    State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, China.
  • Peiyi Li
    Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Centre of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; The Research Units of West China (2018RU012)-Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
  • Xinghai Wang
    College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
  • Yahui Wen
    College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
  • Wei Xia
    Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
  • Tuyan Luo
    Institute of Agricultural Quality Standards and Testing Technology, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350002, China.
  • Lidong Wu
    College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.

Keywords

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