Mechanical adaptability of artificial muscles from nanoscale molecular action
| Autor: | Federico Lancia, Nathalie Katsonis, Alexander Ryabchun, Anne Déborah Nguindjel, Supaporn Kwangmettatam |
|---|---|
| Přispěvatelé: | Biomolecular Nanotechnology |
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
Materials science
Polymers Ultraviolet Rays Mechanical Phenomena Science Muscle Fibers Skeletal Soft robotics General Physics and Astronomy Nanotechnology 02 engineering and technology 010402 general chemistry 01 natural sciences Article General Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular Biology Hardness Liquid crystal medicine Muscle Skeletal lcsh:Science Molecular switch chemistry.chemical_classification Multidisciplinary Soft materials Molecular machines and motors Stiffness General Chemistry Polymer 021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology Molecular machine Liquid Crystals 0104 chemical sciences chemistry lcsh:Q Artificial muscle Artificial Organs Stress Mechanical medicine.symptom 0210 nano-technology Muscle Contraction |
| Zdroj: | Nature Communications, Vol 10, Iss 1, Pp 1-8 (2019) Nature communications, 10(1):4819. Nature Publishing Group Nature Communications |
| ISSN: | 2041-1723 |
| Popis: | The motion of artificial molecular machines has been amplified into the shape transformation of polymer materials that have been compared to muscles, where mechanically active molecules work together to produce a contraction. In spite of this progress, harnessing cooperative molecular motion remains a challenge in this field. Here, we show how the light-induced action of artificial molecular switches modifies not only the shape but also, simultaneously, the stiffness of soft materials. The heterogeneous design of these materials features inclusions of free liquid crystal in a liquid crystal polymer network. When the magnitude of the intrinsic interfacial tension is modified by the action of the switches, photo-stiffening is observed, in analogy with the mechanical response of activated muscle fibers, and in contrast to melting mechanisms reported so far. Mechanoadaptive materials that are capable of active tuning of rigidity will likely contribute to a bottom-up approach towards human-friendly and soft robotics. The cooperative motion of artificial molecular machines has led to materials that respond to light with changing shape but also with softening. Here the authors describe a phase-heterogeneous liquid crystal material in which the action of molecular switches leads to morphing and stiffening, by enhancement of interfacial tension. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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