scholarly journals Advances in Stimuli-Responsive Soft Robots with Integrated Hybrid Materials

Actuators ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 115
Author(s):  
Hyegyo Son ◽  
ChangKyu Yoon
Keyword(s):  
Functional Materials ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Shape Transformation ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Scientific Methods ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Low Dimensional ◽  
External Stimuli ◽  
Low Dimensional Materials

Hybrid stimuli-responsive soft robots have been extensively developed by incorporating multi-functional materials, such as carbon-based nanoparticles, nanowires, low-dimensional materials, and liquid crystals. In addition to the general functions of conventional soft robots, hybrid stimuli-responsive soft robots have displayed significantly advanced multi-mechanical, electrical, or/and optical properties accompanied with smart shape transformation in response to external stimuli, such as heat, light, and even biomaterials. This review surveys the current enhanced scientific methods to synthesize the integration of multi-functional materials within stimuli-responsive soft robots. Furthermore, this review focuses on the applications of hybrid stimuli-responsive soft robots in the forms of actuators and sensors that display multi-responsive and highly sensitive properties. Finally, it highlights the current challenges of stimuli-responsive soft robots and suggests perspectives on future directions for achieving intelligent hybrid stimuli-responsive soft robots applicable in real environments.

scholarly journals Helical Structures Mimicking Chiral Seedpod Opening and Tendril Coiling

Sensors ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 2973 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangchao Wan ◽  
Congran Jin ◽  
Ian Trase ◽  
Shan Zhao ◽  
Zi Chen
Keyword(s):  
Functional Materials ◽  
Helical Structure ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Helical Structures ◽  
Shape Transformation ◽  
Length Scales ◽  
Multiple Length Scales ◽  
Liquid Crystal Elastomers ◽  
Engineered Systems ◽  
External Stimuli

Helical structures are ubiquitous in natural and engineered systems across multiple length scales. Examples include DNA molecules, plants’ tendrils, sea snails’ shells, and spiral nanoribbons. Although this symmetry-breaking shape has shown excellent performance in elastic springs or propulsion generation in a low-Reynolds-number environment, a general principle to produce a helical structure with programmable geometry regardless of length scales is still in demand. In recent years, inspired by the chiral opening of Bauhinia variegata’s seedpod and the coiling of plant’s tendril, researchers have made significant breakthroughs in synthesizing state-of-the-art 3D helical structures through creating intrinsic curvatures in 2D rod-like or ribbon-like precursors. The intrinsic curvature results from the differential response to a variety of external stimuli of functional materials, such as hydrogels, liquid crystal elastomers, and shape memory polymers. In this review, we give a brief overview of the shape transformation mechanisms of these two plant’s structures and then review recent progress in the fabrication of biomimetic helical structures that are categorized by the stimuli-responsive materials involved. By providing this survey on important recent advances along with our perspectives, we hope to solicit new inspirations and insights on the development and fabrication of helical structures, as well as the future development of interdisciplinary research at the interface of physics, engineering, and biology.

scholarly journals Smart Actuators Based on External Stimulus Response

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qinchao Zheng ◽  
Chenxue Xu ◽  
Zhenlin Jiang ◽  
Min Zhu ◽  
Chen Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Materials ◽  
Artificial Muscles ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Stimulus Response ◽  
Artificial Materials ◽  
Smart Actuators ◽  
Integrated Devices ◽  
Application Fields ◽  
External Stimuli

Smart actuators refer to integrated devices that are composed of smart and artificial materials, and can provide actuation and dampening capabilities in response to single/multi external stimuli (such as light, heat, magnetism, electricity, humidity, and chemical reactions). Due to their capability of dynamically sensing and interaction with complex surroundings, smart actuators have attracted increasing attention in different application fields, such as artificial muscles, smart textiles, smart sensors, and soft robots. Among these intelligent material, functional hydrogels with fiber structure are of great value in the manufacture of smart actuators. In this review, we summarized the recent advances in stimuli-responsive actuators based on functional materials. We emphasized the important role of functional nano-material-based additives in the preparation of the stimulus response materials, then analyzed the driving response medium, the preparation method, and the performance of different stimuli responses in detail. In addition, some challenges and future prospects of smart actuators are reported.

scholarly journals Stimuli-Responsive Polymer Systems—Recent Manufacturing Techniques and Applications

Materials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (15) ◽  
pp. 2380
Author(s):  
Akif Kaynak ◽  
Ali Zolfagharian
Keyword(s):  
Functional Materials ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Radiation Chemical ◽  
Polymer Systems ◽  
Responsive Polymer ◽  
Manufacturing Techniques ◽  
Temperature Radiation ◽  
Property Changes ◽  
External Stimuli ◽  
Stimuli Responsive Polymer

Stimuli-responsive polymer systems can be defined as functional materials that show physical or chemical property changes in response to external stimuli, such as temperature, radiation, chemical agents, pH, mechanical stress, and electric and magnetic fields [...]

Functionalization of Smart Gels with Beta-Cyclodextrin and Release Characteristics to Simulating Drugs

2015 ◽  
Vol 815 ◽  
pp. 675-683 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming Jun Gao ◽  
Jia Li Wang ◽  
Qin Cong ◽  
Bo Zhang ◽  
Xiao Chun He ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ◽  
Functional Materials ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Neural Regeneration ◽  
Self Healing ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Lithium Polymer Batteries ◽  
Grafted Polymer ◽  
Surface And Interface ◽  
Low Dimensional

Smart gels have many applications in sensors, actuators, shape memory intelligent devices, recognition, self-healing, drug release, biomimetic soft robot design, biomimetic tactile, neural regeneration, biomimetic membranes, supercapacitor, dye-sensitized solar cells, advanced lithium polymer batteries, environmental fields, biomedical fields, et al. And that cyclodextrins are one of the typical macrocycles with good recognition ability, and endowed with fascinating hydrophobic cavities and hydrophilic surface, which enable the encapsulation of diverse small organic molecules by forming inclusion complexes. In this paper, grafted copolymerization between acrylic acid and N,N-dimethyl acrylamide in the presence of water-soluble cyclodextrins was carried out. The effect of ratio of copolymerization monomer on the grafted polymer was examined. The results indicated that self-crosslinking smart gel with multi-stimuli responsive was obtained by selecting suitable the ratio of copolymerization monomer, its behaviors of swelling/shrinking were examined. The adsorption properties and releasing characteristics of smart gel were performed with simulating drugs. Some meaningful results were obtained. These series grafted copolymer would also be used to modify the surface and interface properties of low-dimensional functional materials or heterostructured nanocomposites for intelligent organic-inorganic functional nanocomposites, some good results were obtained.

Smart Polymers and their Applications: A Review

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (03) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gore S. A. ◽  
Gholve S. B. ◽  
Savalsure S. M. ◽  
Ghodake K. B. ◽  
Bhusnure O. G. ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Solution Temperature ◽  
Smart Polymers ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Responsive Materials ◽  
Water Soluble Polymers ◽  
Commercial Applications ◽  
Stimuli Sensitive ◽  
External Stimuli

Smart polymers are materials that respond to small external stimuli. These are also referred as stimuli responsive materials or intelligent materials. Smart polymers that can exhibit stimuli-sensitive properties are becoming important in many commercial applications. These polymers can change shape, strength and pore size based on external factors such as temperature, pH and stress. The stimuli include salt, UV irradiation, temperature, pH, magnetic or electric field, ionic factors etc. Smart polymers are very promising applicants in drug delivery, tissue engineering, cell culture, gene carriers, textile engineering, oil recovery, radioactive wastage and protein purification. The study is focused on the entire features of smart polymers and their most recent and relevant applications. Water soluble polymers with tunable lower critical solution temperature (LCST) are of increasing interest for biological applications such as cell patterning, smart drug release, DNA sequencing etc.

Sensitive Mechanocontrolled Luminescence in Cross-Linked Polymer Films

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayumu Karimata ◽  
Pradnya Patil ◽  
Eugene Khaskin ◽  
Sébastien Lapointe ◽  
robert fayzullin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Stress ◽  
Polymer Films ◽  
Soft Matter ◽  
Small Strain ◽  
Visual Methods ◽  
Photoluminescence Intensity ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Responsive Materials ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Mechanical Stretching

Direct translation of mechanical force into changes in chemical behavior on a molecular level has important implication not only for the fundamental understanding of mechanochemical processes, but also for the development of new stimuli-responsive materials. In particular, detection of mechanical stress in polymers via non-destructive methods is important in order to prevent material failure and to study the mechanical properties of soft matter. Herein, we report that highly sensitive changes in photoluminescence intensity can be observed in response to the mechanical stretching of cross-linked polymer films when using stable, (pyridinophane)Cu-based dynamic mechanophores. Upon stretching, the luminescence intensity increases in a fast and reversible manner even at small strain (< 50%) and applied stress (< 0.1 MPa) values. Such sensitivity is unprecedented when compared to previously reported systems based on organic mechanophores. The system also allows for the detection of weak mechanical stress by spectroscopic measurements or by direct visual methods.<br>

scholarly journals Dynamic Manipulation of THz Waves Enabled by Phase-Transition VO2 Thin Film

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 114
Author(s):  
Chang Lu ◽  
Qingjian Lu ◽  
Min Gao ◽  
Yuan Lin
Keyword(s):  
Optical Methods ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Device Structure ◽  
Current State ◽  
Insulator Metal Transition ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Fs Laser ◽  
External Stimuli ◽  
Thz Applications ◽  
Thz Waves

The reversible and multi-stimuli responsive insulator-metal transition of VO2, which enables dynamic modulation over the terahertz (THz) regime, has attracted plenty of attention for its potential applications in versatile active THz devices. Moreover, the investigation into the growth mechanism of VO2 films has led to improved film processing, more capable modulation and enhanced device compatibility into diverse THz applications. THz devices with VO2 as the key components exhibit remarkable response to external stimuli, which is not only applicable in THz modulators but also in rewritable optical memories by virtue of the intrinsic hysteresis behaviour of VO2. Depending on the predesigned device structure, the insulator-metal transition (IMT) of VO2 component can be controlled through thermal, electrical or optical methods. Recent research has paid special attention to the ultrafast modulation phenomenon observed in the photoinduced IMT, enabled by an intense femtosecond laser (fs laser) which supports “quasi-simultaneous” IMT within 1 ps. This progress report reviews the current state of the field, focusing on the material nature that gives rise to the modulation-allowed IMT for THz applications. An overview is presented of numerous IMT stimuli approaches with special emphasis on the underlying physical mechanisms. Subsequently, active manipulation of THz waves through pure VO2 film and VO2 hybrid metamaterials is surveyed, highlighting that VO2 can provide active modulation for a wide variety of applications. Finally, the common characteristics and future development directions of VO2-based tuneable THz devices are discussed.

scholarly journals The Highly Uniform Photoresponsivity from Visible to Near IR Light in Sb2Te3 Flakes

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1535
Author(s):  
Shiu-Ming Huang ◽  
Jai-Lung Hung ◽  
Mitch Chou ◽  
Chi-Yang Chen ◽  
Fang-Chen Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Band Structure ◽  
Energy Difference ◽  
Experimental Result ◽  
Light Illumination ◽  
Near Ir ◽  
State Band ◽  
Valence Bands ◽  
Low Dimensional ◽  
Low Dimensional Materials ◽  
Ir Light

Broadband photosensors have been widely studied in various kinds of materials. Experimental results have revealed strong wavelength-dependent photoresponses in all previous reports. This limits the potential application of broadband photosensors. Therefore, finding a wavelength-insensitive photosensor is imperative in this application. Photocurrent measurements were performed in Sb2Te3 flakes at various wavelengths ranging from visible to near IR light. The measured photocurrent change was insensitive to wavelengths from 300 to 1000 nm. The observed wavelength response deviation was lower than that in all previous reports. Our results show that the corresponding energies of these photocurrent peaks are consistent with the energy difference of the density of state peaks between conduction and valence bands. This suggests that the observed photocurrent originates from these band structure peak transitions under light illumination. Contrary to the most common explanation that observed broadband photocurrent carrier is mainly from the surface state in low-dimensional materials, our experimental result suggests that bulk state band structure is the main source of the observed photocurrent and dominates the broadband photocurrent.

scholarly journals Definition of a scoring parameter to identify low-dimensional materials components

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Mahler Larsen ◽  
Mohnish Pandey ◽  
Mikkel Strange ◽  
Karsten Wedel Jacobsen
Keyword(s):  
Definition Of ◽  
Low Dimensional ◽  
Low Dimensional Materials
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