
In order to create a material that is both strong and malleable and displays different behavior when exposed to more than one stimulus, researchers embedded light-responsive fibers, which are coated with spirobenzopyran (SP) chromophores, into a temperature-sensitive gel. This new material displays distinctly different behavior in the presence of light and heat.
CREDIT
University of Pittsburgh
Combining photo-responsive fibers with thermo-responsive gels, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering and Clemson University have modeled a new hybrid material that could reconfigure itself multiple times into different shapes when exposed to light and heat, allowing for the creation of devices that not only adapt to their environment, but also display distinctly different behavior in the presence of different stimuli.
Computational modeling developed by Anna C. Balazs, Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering at Pitt, and Olga Kuksenok, Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Clemson, predicted these composites would be both highly reconfigurable and mechanically strong, signaling a potential for biomimetic four-dimensional printing. Their research, “Stimuli-responsive behavior of composites integrating thermo-responsive gels with photoresponsive fibers,” was recently published in the journal Materials Horizons, published by the Royal Society of Chemistry (DOI: 10.1039/C5MH00212E).
“In 4D printing, time is the fourth dimension that characterizes the structure of the material; namely, these materials can change shape even after they have been printed. The ability of a material to morph into a new shape alleviates the need to build a new part for every new application, and hence, can lead to significant cost savings,” Dr. Balazs explained. “The challenge that researchers have faced is creating a material that is both strong and malleable and displays different behavior when exposed to more than one stimulus.”
Drs Balazs and Kuksenok resolved this issue by embedding light-responsive fibers, which are coated with spirobenzopyran (SP) chromophores, into a temperature-sensitive gel. This new material displays distinctly different behavior in the presence of light and heat.
“If we anchor a sample of the composite to a surface, it will bend in one direction when exposed to light, and in the other direction when exposed to heat,” Dr. Kuksenok said. “When the sample is detached, it shrinks like an accordion when heated and curls like a caterpillar when illuminated. This programmable behavior allows a single object to display different shapes and hence functions, depending on how it is exposed to light or heat.”
The researchers note that by localizing the SP functionality specifically on the fibers, the composites can encompass “hidden” patterns that are only uncovered in the presence of light, allowing the material to be tailored in ways that would not be possible by simply heating the sample. This biomimetic, stimuli-responsive motion could allow for joints that bend and unbend with light and become an essential component for new adaptive devices, such as flexible robots.
“Robots are wonderful tools, but when you need something to examine a delicate structure, such as inside the human body, you want a “squishy” robot rather than the typical devices we think of with interlocking gears and sharp edges,” Dr. Balazs said. “This composite material could pave the way for soft, reconfigurable devices that display programmed functions when exposed to different environmental cues.”
Read more: Hybrid material presents potential for 4-D-printed adaptive devices
The Latest on: 4-D-printed adaptive devices
[google_news title=”” keyword=”4-D-printed adaptive devices” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: 4-D-printed adaptive devices
- TFT35 Dual Mode 3D Print Control – Hands Onon March 22, 2023 at 5:00 pm
I was rebuilding one of my 3D printers ... it has a 20×4 LCD. Instead of an encoder knob, there are five buttons: basically up, down, left, right, and enter. Most printers now have an LCD12864 ...
- 3D Printed Camera Arm Saves $143on March 15, 2023 at 5:00 pm
Professional camera equipment is notoriously ... arm lasted a good 4 years before finally braking — but unfortunately, it’s not very fixable. Luckily, [Raster] has a 3D printer!
- Chris Orsaris Explains How Technology Has Impacted The Automotive Industryon March 15, 2023 at 9:21 am
Overstating how much technology has changed the automotive industry in recent years would be impossible. Experts like Chris Orsaris in Queens, NY, say it''s fair to say that today''s automotive sector ...
- Chinese researchers develop 4D-printed shape memory polymer for medical deviceson March 15, 2023 at 6:59 am
Chinese researchers have developed a biodegradable shape memory polymer (SMP) using 4D-printing technology that is suitable for medical devices, according to the Lanzhou University. This was reported ...
- 3D Printing Medical Devices Market Size Worth USD 4.6 Billion by 2027 at 29.9% CAGR – Report by Market Research Future (MRFR)on February 20, 2023 at 5:52 am
New York, USA, Feb. 20, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 3D Printing Medical Devices Market Overview According ... and the market is projected to arrive at 4.6 billion by 2027. Market Scope 3D printing ...
- 3D Printed Medical Devices Market Technology advancement and Latest Research Report 2023-2028on February 16, 2023 at 11:08 pm
4.2 Global 3D Printed Medical Devices Revenue Market Share by Type (2017-2023) 4.3 Global 3D Printed Medical Devices Price by Type (2017-2023) 5 Global 3D Printed Medical Devices Historic Market ...
- Best Noise-Canceling Headphones for 2023on February 6, 2023 at 10:40 pm
The company's new-for-2023 Earfun Air Pro 3 earbuds feature the latest Qualcomm QCC3071 system-on-a-chip with aptX Adaptive for Android and other devices ... I'd say the Momentum 4's sound ...
- 3D Printed Medical Devices Market Dynamics with Top Players, Gross Margin, Regional Demand, Plans and Demand Status Forecast to 2029on February 6, 2023 at 4:48 am
4.1, 7.5, 8.7, we elaborate at full length on the impact of the pandemic and the war on the 3D Printed Medical Devices Industry TO KNOW HOW COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND RUSSIA UKRAINE WAR WILL IMPACT ...
- Dimensional stability of 3D printed medical deviceson December 1, 2022 at 9:57 am
Additive manufacturing (3D printing) is one of the most ... consumer parts supported by modern industry 4.0. Product quality and dimensional stability is important when it comes to intricate medical ...
- The Best Budget 3D Printers for 2023on July 26, 2022 at 11:37 am
An adaptive touchscreen ... The cheapest 3D printer ever has to be 3D printing pens. While you could argue they’re not technically a printer, these handheld devices create freeform 3D designs.
via Bing News