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Photoactive Self‐Shaping Hydrogels as Noncontact 3D Macro/Microscopic Photoprinting Platforms
Author(s) -
Liao Yue,
An Ning,
Wang Ning,
Zhang Yinyu,
Song Junfei,
Zhou Jinxiong,
Liu Wenguang
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
macromolecular rapid communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.348
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1521-3927
pISSN - 1022-1336
DOI - 10.1002/marc.201500390
Subject(s) - photomask , self healing hydrogels , microscale chemistry , materials science , self healing , irradiation , finite element method , robustness (evolution) , nanotechnology , optoelectronics , computer science , polymer chemistry , chemistry , physics , resist , medicine , biochemistry , mathematics education , mathematics , alternative medicine , layer (electronics) , pathology , gene , nuclear physics , thermodynamics
A photocleavable terpolymer hydrogel cross‐linked with o ‐nitrobenzyl derivative cross‐linker is shown to be capable of self‐shaping without losing its physical integrity and robustness due to spontaneous asymmetric swelling of network caused by UV‐light‐induced gradient cleavage of chemical cross‐linkages. The continuum model and finite element method are used to elucidate the curling mechanism underlying. Remarkably, based on the self‐changing principle, the photosensitive hydrogels can be developed as photoprinting soft and wet platforms onto which specific 3D characters and images are faithfully duplicated in macro/microscale without contact by UV light irradiation under the cover of customized photomasks. Importantly, a quick response (QR) code is accurately printed on the photoactive hydrogel for the first time. Scanning QR code with a smartphone can quickly connect to a web page. This photoactive hydrogel is promising to be a new printing or recording material.