Open Access3D printed ultra-fast photothermal responsive shape memory hydrogel for microrobots
Author(s) -
Ziheng Zhan,
Lei Chen,
Huigao Duan,
Yiqin Chen,
Min He,
Zhong Lin Wang
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of extreme manufacturing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2631-8644
pISSN - 2631-7990
DOI - 10.1088/2631-7990/ac376b
Subject(s) - stereolithography , materials science , photothermal therapy , self healing hydrogels , nanotechnology , photothermal effect , digital micromirror device , 3d printing , grayscale , optoelectronics , computer science , composite material , artificial intelligence , polymer chemistry , pixel
Hydrogels with stimuli-responsive capabilities are gaining more and more attention nowadays with prospective applications in biomedical engineering, bioelectronics, microrobot, etc. We develop a photothermal responsive hydrogel based on N-isopropylacrylamide that achieved a fast and reversible deformation manipulated only by near-infrared (NIR) light. The hydrogel was fabricated by the projection micro stereolithography based 3D printing technique, which can rapidly prototype complex 3D structures. Furthermore, with the variation of the grayscale while manufacturing the hydrogel, the deformation of the hydrogel structure can be freely tuned within a few seconds by losing and absorbing water through adjusting the intensity and the irradiation direction of the NIR light, showing a potential application in ultra-fast object grabbing and transportation. The present study provides a new method for designing ultrafast photothermal responsive hydrogel based microrobot working in water.