The current understanding of motility through body shape deformation of micro-organisms and the knowledge of fluid flows at the microscale provides ample examples for mimicry and design of soft microrobots. In this work, a 2D spiral is presented that is capable of rotating by non-reciprocal curling deformations. The body of the microswimmer is a ribbon consisting of a thermoresponsive hydrogel bilayer with embedded plasmonic gold nanorods. Such a system allows fast local photothermal heating and nonreciprocal bending deformation of the hydrogel bilayer under nonequilibrium conditions. It is shown that the spiral acts as a spring capable of large deformations thanks to its low stiffness, which is tunable by the swelling degree of the hydrogel and the temperature. Tethering the ribbon to a freely rotating microsphere enables rotational motion of the spiral by stroboscopic irradiation. The efficiency of the rotor is estimated using resistive force theory for Stokes flow. This research demonstrates microscopic locomotion by the shape change of a spiral and may find applications in the field of microfluidics, or soft microrobotics.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/smll.201903379 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Composite barrier membrane for bone regeneration: advancing biomaterial strategies in defect repair.
RSC Adv
January 2025
School and Hospital of Stomatology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Shandong Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration, Shandong Engineering Research Center of Dental Materials and Oral Tissue Regeneratioon, Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases Ji'nan 250012 China
Bone defects represent a significant challenge in clinical practice, driving the need for innovative solutions that effectively support bone regeneration. Barrier membranes, due to playing a critical role in creating an environment conducive to bone regeneration by preventing the infiltration of non-osteogenic tissues, are widely applied to bone repair. However, inadequate spatial stability and osteogenesis-promoting ability often limit current barrier membranes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBilayer 3D co-culture platform inducing the differentiation of normal fibroblasts into cancer-associated fibroblast like cells: New in vitro source to obtain cancer-associated fibroblasts.
Bioeng Transl Med
January 2025
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Yonsei University Seoul South Korea.
This study presents a novel in vitro bilayer 3D co-culture platform designed to obtain cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs)-like cells. The platform consists of a bilayer hydrogel structure with a collagen/polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel for fibroblasts as the upper layer and an alginate hydrogel for tumor cells as the lower layer. The platform enabled paracrine interactions between fibroblasts and cancer cells, which allowed for selective retrieval of activated fibroblasts through collagenase treatment for further study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFast fabrication of stimuli-responsive MXene-based hydrogels for high-performance actuators with simultaneous actuation and self-sensing capability.
J Colloid Interface Sci
January 2025
Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037 China; College of Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Key Lab for the Chemistry & Utilization of Agricultural and Forest Biomass, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037 China. Electronic address:
Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) composite hydrogels have recently emerged as promising candidates for soft hydrogel actuators. However, developing a facile and fast method to obtain multifunctional PNIPAM hydrogel actuators with simulating biological versatility remains a major challenge. Herein, we developed a fast-redox initiation system to prepare PNIPAM/sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)/TCT MXene nanocomposite hydrogel with multidirectional actuating behaviors and improved mechanical properties.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF3D printed biomimetic bilayer limbal implants for regeneration of the corneal structure in limbal stem cell deficiency.
Acta Biomater
January 2025
Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100005, China. Electronic address:
Limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) causes vision loss and is often treated by simple corneal epithelial cell transplantation with poor long-term efficiency. Here, we present a biomimetic bilayer limbal implant using digital light processing 3D printing technology with gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) and poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) bioinks containing corneal epithelial cells (CECs) and corneal stromal stem cells (CSSCs), which can transplant CECs and improve the limbal niche simultaneously. The GelMA/PEGDA hydrogel possessed robust mechanical properties to support surgical transplantation and had good transparency, suitable swelling and degradation rate as a corneal implant.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA self-sustained moist-electric generator with enhanced energy density and longevity through a bilayer approach.
Mater Horiz
January 2025
College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, P. R. China.
Although MEG is being developed as a green renewable energy technology, there remains significant room for improvement in self-sustained power supply, generation duration, and energy density. In this study, we present a self-sustained, high-performance MEG device with a bilayer structure. The lower hydrogel layer incorporates graphene oxide (GO) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the active materials, whereas the upper aerogel layer is comprised of pyrrole-modified graphene oxide (PGO).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!