Composite polymer hydrogels with high and reversible elongation under magnetic stimuli
Metadatos
Afficher la notice complèteAuteur
Vázquez Pérez, Francisco Jesús; Gila Vilchez, Cristina; Duran, J D G; Zubarev, Andrey; Álvarez Cienfuegos Rodríguez, Luis; Rodríguez Arco, Laura; López López, Modesto TorcuatoEditorial
Polymer
Materia
Composite hydrogel Alginate hydrogel Soft actuator Magnetic particles Microstructural properties Mechanical behaviour
Date
2021-08-09Résumé
The field of soft actuators is dominated by elastomers that experience mechanical deformations in response to external stimuli. In this context, magnetic stimuli attract considerable interest because of their easy application, tunability, fast response, remote actuation, and safe penetration in biological environments. Since very recently, research interests in the field are being redirected towards hydrogels, which could virtually replace elastomers, overcoming their limitations and expanding the field of application of soft actuators. The mechanical actuation of hydrogels is a nascent field full of challenges, such as achieving reliable and significant responsiveness. Here we demonstrate that the combination of a physical polymer hydrogel with a dispersed phase consisting of clusters of magnetic particles, results in magnetic hydrogel composites that exhibit high and reversible elongation in response to magnetic stimuli. Our analyses show that this response is strongly dependent on the matrix elasticity, the concentration of magnetic particles, and the particle distribution within the network of polymer nanofibres. Our strategy for the maximization of the response of magnetic hydrogels should be a catalyst for the development of novel applications of composite hydrogels, such as a valve remotely actuated by a magnetic field that we also present here as a proof-of-concept.