Premium
Macroscopic Self‐Evolution of Dynamic Hydrogels to Create Hollow Interiors
Author(s) -
Han Lu,
Zheng Yijun,
Luo Hao,
Feng Jun,
Engstler Roxanne,
Xue Lulu,
Jing Guangyin,
Deng Xu,
Campo Aránzazu,
Cui Jiaxi
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201913574
Subject(s) - self healing hydrogels , swelling , materials science , polymer , nanotechnology , alkyl , structural integrity , ferric , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , chemistry , composite material , organic chemistry , engineering , structural engineering , metallurgy
A solid‐to‐hollow evolution in macroscopic structures is challenging in synthetic materials. A fundamentally new strategy is reported for guiding macroscopic, unidirectional shape evolution of materials without compromising the material's integrity. This strategy is based on the creation of a field with a “swelling pole” and a “shrinking pole” to drive polymers to disassemble, migrate, and resettle in the targeted region. This concept is demonstrated using dynamic hydrogels containing anchored acrylic ligands and hydrophobic long alkyl chains. Adding water molecules and ferric ions (Fe 3+ ) to induce a swelling–shrinking field transforms the hydrogels from solid to hollow. The strategy is versatile in the generation of various closed hollow objects (for example, spheres, helix tubes, and cubes with different diameters) for different applications.