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Directed Motion and Cargo Transport Through Propagation of Polymer‐Gel Volume Phase Transitions
Author(s) -
Yeghiazarian L.,
Mahajan S.,
Montemagno C.,
Cohen C.,
Wiesner U.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.200401205
Subject(s) - materials science , polymer , volume (thermodynamics) , phase (matter) , motion (physics) , nanotechnology , polymer science , chemical engineering , composite material , classical mechanics , thermodynamics , organic chemistry , physics , engineering , chemistry
A thermosensitive polymer hydrogel can be used to transport cargo by propagating a volume‐phase transition along its length (see Figure; red and blue arrows correspond to localized heating and cooling, respectively). Directional motion with velocities up to 15 μm s –1 for cylinder diameters of approximately 1 mm are recorded. Miniaturization of this device could lead to increased gel speeds and microfluidic and medical applications.