Photogated Humidity-driven Motility

Overview

Journal Nat Commun

Specialty Biology

Date 2015 Jun 13

PMID 26067649

Citations 41

Authors

Lidong Zhang

Haoran Liang

Jolly Jacob

Pance Naumov

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Hygroinduced motion is a fundamental process of energy conversion that is essential for applications that require contactless actuation in response to the day-night rhythm of atmospheric humidity. Here we demonstrate that mechanical bistability caused by rapid and anisotropic adsorption and desorption of water vapour by a flexible dynamic element that harnesses the chemical potential across very small humidity gradients for perpetual motion can be effectively modulated with light. A mechanically robust material capable of rapid exchange of water with the surroundings is prepared that undergoes swift locomotion in effect to periodic shape reconfiguration with turnover frequency of <150 min(-1). The element can lift objects ∼85 times heavier and can transport cargos ∼20 times heavier than itself. Having an azobenzene-containing conjugate as a photoactive dopant, this entirely humidity-driven self-actuation can be controlled remotely with ultraviolet light, thus setting a platform for next-generation smart biomimetic hybrids.

Citing Articles

Dual light-responsive shape transformations of a nanocomposite hydrogel sheet enabled by etching shaped plasmonic nanoparticles.

Guo H, Ding Q, Yang Y, Du C, Nie Z RSC Adv. 2024; 14(47):34804-34810.

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Research Progress on Moisture-Sorption Actuators Materials.

Zhang D, Ding J, Zhou Y, Ju J Nanomaterials (Basel). 2024; 14(19).

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Facile Synthesis of Dual-Functional Cross-Linked Membranes with Contact-Killing Antimicrobial Properties and Humidity-Response.

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Self-regulated reversal deformation and locomotion of structurally homogenous hydrogels subjected to constant light illumination.

Guo K, Yang X, Zhou C, Li C Nat Commun. 2024; 15(1):1694.

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Light-induced modulation of viscoelastic properties in azobenzene polymers.

Chiodini S, Borbone F, Oscurato S, Garcia P, Ambrosio A Nanophotonics. 2024; 13(2):229-238.

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