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Polymeric Microcuboids Programmable for Temperature‐Memory
Author(s) -
Liu Yue,
Gould Oliver E.C.,
Rudolph Tobias,
Fang Liang,
Kratz Karl,
Lendlein Andreas
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
macromolecular materials and engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.913
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1439-2054
pISSN - 1438-7492
DOI - 10.1002/mame.202000333
Subject(s) - materials science , microscale chemistry , microfluidics , elastomer , fabrication , nanotechnology , polymer , shape memory polymer , shape memory alloy , composite material , medicine , mathematics education , mathematics , alternative medicine , pathology
Microobjects with programmable mechanical functionality are highly desirable for the creation of flexible electronics, sensors, and microfluidic systems, where fabrication/programming and quantification methods are required to fully control and implement dynamic physical behavior. Here, programmable microcuboids with defined geometries are prepared by a template‐based method from crosslinked poly[ethylene‐ co ‐(vinyl acetate)] elastomers. These microobjects could be programmed to exhibit a temperature‐memory effect or a shape‐memory polymer actuation capability. Switching temperatures T sw during shape recovery of 55 ± 2, 68 ± 2, 80 ± 2, and 86 ± 2 °C are achieved by tuning programming temperatures to 55, 70, 85, and 100 °C, respectively. Actuation is achieved with a reversible strain of 2.9 ± 0.2% to 6.7 ± 0.1%, whereby greater compression ratios and higher separation temperatures induce a more pronounced actuation. Micro‐geometry change is quantified using optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The realization and quantification of microparticles, capable of a tunable temperature responsive shape‐change or reversible actuation, represent a key development in the creation of soft microscale devices for drug delivery or microrobotics.