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Kong Z, Boahen EK, Kim DJ, Li F, Kim JS, Kweon H, Kim SY, Choi H, Zhu J, Bin Ying W, Kim DH. Ultrafast underwater self-healing piezo-ionic elastomer via dynamic hydrophobic-hydrolytic domains. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2129. [PMID: 38459042 PMCID: PMC10923942 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46334-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of advanced materials capable of autonomous self-healing and mechanical stimulus sensing in aquatic environments holds great promise for applications in underwater soft electronics, underwater robotics, and water-resistant human-machine interfaces. However, achieving superior autonomous self-healing properties and effective sensing simultaneously in an aquatic environment is rarely feasible. Here, we present an ultrafast underwater molecularly engineered self-healing piezo-ionic elastomer inspired by the cephalopod's suckers, which possess self-healing properties and mechanosensitive ion channels. Through strategic engineering of hydrophobic C-F groups, hydrolytic boronate ester bonds, and ions, the material achieves outstanding self-healing efficiencies, with speeds of 94.5% (9.1 µm/min) in air and 89.6% (13.3 µm/min) underwater, coupled with remarkable pressure sensitivity (18.1 kPa-1) for sensing performance. Furthermore, integration of this mechanosensitive device into an underwater submarine for signal transmission and light emitting diode modulation demonstrates its potential for underwater robotics and smarter human-machine interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengyang Kong
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Elvis K Boahen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Jun Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Fenglong Li
- Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, China
| | - Joo Sung Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
- Thin-Film Device Laboratory, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Hyukmin Kweon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - So Young Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Hanbin Choi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Zhu
- Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, China
| | - Wu Bin Ying
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.
- School of Electrical Engineering (EE), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Do Hwan Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.
- Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.
- Clean-Energy Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.
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Lin CH, Kinane C, Zhang Z, Pena-Francesch A. Functional Chemical Motor Coatings for Modular Powering of Self-Propelled Particles. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:39332-39342. [PMID: 35972784 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c08061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Inspired by the locomotion of semiaquatic insects, a variety of surface swimming microrobots propelled by surface tension Marangoni forces have been developed over the years. However, most Marangoni micromotor systems present limitations in their applications due to poor performance, short lifetime, low efficiency, and toxicity. We have developed a functional chemical motor coating consisting of protein microfilms with entrapped fuel to functionalize inactive substrates or particles. This motor material system generates large Marangoni propulsive forces with extremely small amounts of fuel due to a self-regulated fuel release mechanism based on dynamic nanostructural changes in the protein matrix, enhancing the lifetime and efficiency performance over other material systems and motors. These motor functional coatings offer great versatility as they can be coated on a wide array of substrates and materials across length scales, with opportunities as modular power sources for microrobots and small-scale devices. The synergy between the protein motor matrix and the chemical fuel enables the wider design of self-powered surface microrobots without previous limitations in their fabrication and performance, including the new design of hybrid microrobots with protein functional coatings as a modular power source.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Heng Lin
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Cecelia Kinane
- Macromolecular Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Zenghao Zhang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Abdon Pena-Francesch
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Macromolecular Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Robotics Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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