3D-printed liquid metal polymer composites as NIR-responsive 4D printing soft robot
3D-printed liquid metal polymer composites as NIR-responsive 4D printing soft robot
4D printing combines 3D printing with nanomaterials to create shape-morphing materials that exhibit stimuli-responsive functionalities. In this study, reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization agents grafted onto liquid metal nanoparticles are successfully employed in ultraviolet light-mediated stereolithographic 3D printing and near-infrared light-responsive 4D printing. Spherical liquid metal nanoparticles are directly prepared in 3D-printed resins via a one-pot approach, providing a simple and efficient strategy for fabricating liquid metal-polymer composites. Unlike rigid nanoparticles, the soft and liquid nature of nanoparticles reduces glass transition temperature, tensile stress, and modulus of 3D-printed materials. This approach enables the photothermal-induced 4D printing of composites, as demonstrated by the programmed shape memory of 3D-printed composites rapidly recovering to their original shape in 60 s under light irradiation. This work provides a perspective on the use of liquid metal-polymer composites in 4D printing, showcasing their potential for application in the field of soft robots.
7815
Zhang, Liwen
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Huang, Xumin
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Cole, Tim
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Lu, Hongda
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Hang, Jiangyu
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Li, Weihua
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Tang, Shi Yang
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Boyer, Cyrille
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Davis, Thomas P.
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Qiao, Ruirui
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28 November 2023
Zhang, Liwen
e43dca12-8d95-41ea-99e0-85ed7e08306c
Huang, Xumin
25e3f1a9-5c90-45c8-87cf-a2fd3552f646
Cole, Tim
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Lu, Hongda
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Hang, Jiangyu
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Li, Weihua
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Tang, Shi Yang
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Boyer, Cyrille
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Davis, Thomas P.
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Qiao, Ruirui
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Zhang, Liwen, Huang, Xumin, Cole, Tim, Lu, Hongda, Hang, Jiangyu, Li, Weihua, Tang, Shi Yang, Boyer, Cyrille, Davis, Thomas P. and Qiao, Ruirui
(2023)
3D-printed liquid metal polymer composites as NIR-responsive 4D printing soft robot.
Nature Communications, 14 (1), , [7815].
(doi:10.1038/s41467-023-43667-4).
Abstract
4D printing combines 3D printing with nanomaterials to create shape-morphing materials that exhibit stimuli-responsive functionalities. In this study, reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization agents grafted onto liquid metal nanoparticles are successfully employed in ultraviolet light-mediated stereolithographic 3D printing and near-infrared light-responsive 4D printing. Spherical liquid metal nanoparticles are directly prepared in 3D-printed resins via a one-pot approach, providing a simple and efficient strategy for fabricating liquid metal-polymer composites. Unlike rigid nanoparticles, the soft and liquid nature of nanoparticles reduces glass transition temperature, tensile stress, and modulus of 3D-printed materials. This approach enables the photothermal-induced 4D printing of composites, as demonstrated by the programmed shape memory of 3D-printed composites rapidly recovering to their original shape in 60 s under light irradiation. This work provides a perspective on the use of liquid metal-polymer composites in 4D printing, showcasing their potential for application in the field of soft robots.
Text
s41467-023-43667-4
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Accepted/In Press date: 16 November 2023
e-pub ahead of print date: 28 November 2023
Published date: 28 November 2023
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
R.Q. would like to acknowledge the support from the National Health and Medical Research Council (APP1196850), Queensland-Chinese Academy of Sciences (Q-CAS) Collaborative Science Fund (QCAS2022016), UQ Amplify Women’s Academic Research Equity (UQAWARE), UQ Foundation of Excellence Research Award (UQFERA), and Advance Queensland Women’s Research Assistance Program (AQWRAP). T.P.D. is grateful for the National Health and Medical Research Council (APP1197373 and 2019056). This work used the Queensland node of the NCRIS-enabled Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF), and the Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis (CMM).
Funding Information:
R.Q. would like to acknowledge the support from the National Health and Medical Research Council (APP1196850), Queensland-Chinese Academy of Sciences (Q-CAS) Collaborative Science Fund (QCAS2022016), UQ Amplify Women’s Academic Research Equity (UQAWARE), UQ Foundation of Excellence Research Award (UQFERA), and Advance Queensland Women’s Research Assistance Program (AQWRAP). T.P.D. is grateful for the National Health and Medical Research Council (APP1197373 and 2019056). This work used the Queensland node of the NCRIS-enabled Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF), and the Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis (CMM).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s).
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 485584
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/485584
ISSN: 2041-1723
PURE UUID: 82429d9d-3ee7-4584-9e48-a82b6ffce98a
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Date deposited: 11 Dec 2023 17:46
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 04:13
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Contributors
Author:
Liwen Zhang
Author:
Xumin Huang
Author:
Tim Cole
Author:
Hongda Lu
Author:
Jiangyu Hang
Author:
Weihua Li
Author:
Shi Yang Tang
Author:
Cyrille Boyer
Author:
Thomas P. Davis
Author:
Ruirui Qiao
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