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Feng J, Xu R, Huang J, Zhou T. Laser-induced locally controllable craze-like microstructures for polymer white structural coloration. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2024; 11:2469-2482. [PMID: 38465992 DOI: 10.1039/d4mh00127c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
As a promising candidate for the inkless coloring method, white structural color has undergone widespread investigation because of its fascinating properties. Recently, various methods have been developed to prepare disordered micro/nanostructures to produce white structural color. However, complex and high-cost processing procedures severely restrict the efficient and large-scale preparation of disordered micro/nanostructures for achieving white structural color. Herein, we report an ingenious way to realize white structural color by laser-inducing craze-like microstructures in core-shell microfiber-based polymers. A microfiber with copper nanowires (CuNWs) as the core surrounded by a polyformaldehyde (POM) shell is prepared by a simple in situ fibrillation method. The craze-like microstructures with micro/nanofibrils and micropores are locally constructed in polymers by a facile, efficient, inexpensive, controllable, and environmentally friendly laser direct writing (LDW) technique. Ascribed to the broadband visible light reflection caused by disordered microstructures, the laser-induced craze-like microstructures in polymers based on CuNWs@POM core-shell microfibers exhibit a distinct white structural color. This work paves a way for achieving white structural color and provides a novel insight for utilizing the previously considered useless crazing phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering of China, Polymer Research Institute, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
| | - Rui Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering of China, Polymer Research Institute, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
| | - Jiameng Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering of China, Polymer Research Institute, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
| | - Tao Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering of China, Polymer Research Institute, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
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2
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Donato S, Nocentini S, Martella D, Kolagatla S, Wiersma DS, Parmeggiani C, Delaney C, Florea L. Liquid Crystalline Network Microstructures for Stimuli Responsive Labels with Multi-Level Encryption. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2306802. [PMID: 38063817 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202306802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Two-photon direct laser writing enables the fabrication of shape-changing microstructures that can be exploited in stimuli responsive micro-robotics and photonics. The use of Liquid Crystalline Networks (LCN) allows to realize 3D micrometric objects that can contract along a specific direction in response to stimuli, such as temperature or light. In this paper, the fabrication of free-standing LCN microstructures is demonstrated as graphical units of a smart tag for simple physical and optical encryption. Using an array of identical pixels, information can be hidden to the observer and revealed only upon application of a specific stimulus. The reading mechanism is based on the shape-change of each pixel under stimuli and their color that combine together in a two-level encryption label. Once the stimulus is removed, the pixels recover their original shape and the message remains completely hidden. Therefore, an opto-mechanical equivalent of an "invisible ink" is realized. This new concept paves the way for introducing enhanced functionalities in smart micro-systems within a single lithography step, spanning from storage devices with physical encryption to complex motion actuators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Donato
- European Laboratory for Non Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), via N. Carrara 1, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, via G. Sansone 1, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
| | - Sara Nocentini
- European Laboratory for Non Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), via N. Carrara 1, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM), Strada delle Cacce 91, Torino, 10135, Italy
| | - Daniele Martella
- European Laboratory for Non Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), via N. Carrara 1, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM), Strada delle Cacce 91, Torino, 10135, Italy
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, via della Lastruccia 3-13, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
| | - Srikanth Kolagatla
- School of Chemistry & AMBER, The SFI Research Centre for Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, 2, Ireland
| | - Diederik S Wiersma
- European Laboratory for Non Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), via N. Carrara 1, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, via G. Sansone 1, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM), Strada delle Cacce 91, Torino, 10135, Italy
| | - Camilla Parmeggiani
- European Laboratory for Non Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), via N. Carrara 1, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, via della Lastruccia 3-13, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
| | - Colm Delaney
- School of Chemistry & AMBER, The SFI Research Centre for Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, 2, Ireland
| | - Larisa Florea
- School of Chemistry & AMBER, The SFI Research Centre for Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, 2, Ireland
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3
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Pinchin NP, Guo H, Meteling H, Deng Z, Priimagi A, Shahsavan H. Liquid Crystal Networks Meet Water: It's Complicated! ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2303740. [PMID: 37392137 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202303740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
Soft robots are composed of compliant materials that facilitate high degrees of freedom, shape-change adaptability, and safer interaction with humans. An attractive choice of material for soft robotics is crosslinked networks of liquid crystal polymers (LCNs), as they are responsive to a wide variety of external stimuli and capable of undergoing fast, programmable, complex shape morphing, which allows for their use in a wide range of soft robotic applications. However, unlike hydrogels, another popular material in soft robotics, LCNs have limited applicability in flooded or aquatic environments. This can be attributed not only to the poor efficiency of common LCN actuation methods underwater but also to the complicated relationship between LCNs and water. In this review, the relationship between water and LCNs is elaborated and the existing body of literature is surveyed where LCNs, both hygroscopic and non-hygroscopic, are utilized in aquatic soft robotic applications. Then the challenges LCNs face in widespread adaptation to aquatic soft robotic applications are discussed and, finally, possible paths forward for their successful use in aquatic environments are envisaged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie P Pinchin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Hongshuang Guo
- Smart Photonic Materials, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, P.O. Box 541, Tampere, FI-33101, Finland
| | - Henning Meteling
- Smart Photonic Materials, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, P.O. Box 541, Tampere, FI-33101, Finland
| | - Zixuan Deng
- Smart Photonic Materials, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, P.O. Box 541, Tampere, FI-33101, Finland
| | - Arri Priimagi
- Smart Photonic Materials, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, P.O. Box 541, Tampere, FI-33101, Finland
| | - Hamed Shahsavan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
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4
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Montes-García V, Samorì P. Humidity Sensing with Supramolecular Nanostructures. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2208766. [PMID: 36810806 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202208766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Precise monitoring of the humidity level is important for the living comfort and for many applications in various industrial sectors. Humidity sensors have thus become one among the most extensively studied and used chemical sensors by targeting a maximal device performance through the optimization of the components and working mechanism. Among different moisture-sensitive systems, supramolecular nanostructures are ideal active materials for the next generation of highly efficient humidity sensors. Their noncovalent nature guarantees fast response, high reversibility, and fast recovery time in the sensing event. Herein, the most enlightening recent strategies on the use of supramolecular nanostructures for humidity sensing are showcased. The key performance indicators in humidity sensing, including operation range, sensitivity, selectivity, response, and recovery speed are discussed as milestones for true practical applications. Some of the most remarkable examples of supramolecular-based humidity sensors are presented, by describing the finest sensing materials, the operating principles, and sensing mechanisms, the latter being based on the structural or charge-transport changes triggered by the interaction of the supramolecular nanostructures with the ambient humidity. Finally, the future directions, challenges, and opportunities for the development of humidity sensors with performance beyond the state of the art are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Montes-García
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, ISIS UMR 7006, 8 allée Gaspard Monge, Strasbourg, F-67000, France
| | - Paolo Samorì
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, ISIS UMR 7006, 8 allée Gaspard Monge, Strasbourg, F-67000, France
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5
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Wu Y, Liu L, Bo G, Li Q, Dai C, Li Z, Zhang J, Zhang X. Configurable swellability of hydrogel microstructure for structural-color-based imaging concealment/encryption. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:4289-4298. [PMID: 38349138 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr05606f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Optical information concealment/encryption technologies are of great importance to structural color applications. Although a series of responsive materials have been developed for dynamic structural color, the shortcomings of the high-quality synthesis process, the complex controlling method, and the low-resolution capability limit their practical use. Herein, we proposed a novel strategy of humidity-driven structural-color-based imaging concealment/encryption by utilizing metal-hydrogel-metal (MHM) nanocavities with configurable swellablity response to humidity change. With varied exposure doses, multi-stage MHM nanocavities with swellable hydrogel interlayers are achieved, generating dynamic structural color covering the visible spectrum. We revealed that the swelling ratio of hydrogel microstructures can be gradually adjusted between 1.05 and 2.08 by varying the exposure dose. We demonstrated that a hydrogel-based structural color image can be concealed with humidity changes by configurating swellable and non-swellable hydrogel pixels together. Furthermore, we developed the double exposure method in which the first exposure can generate pixel arrays for the deceptive image and the second exposure can locally suppress the swellablity of certain pixels. This method can highlight hidden images in a moist state, demonstrating a powerful strategy for high-density optical information encryption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunhui Wu
- International Research Center for EM Metamaterials and Institute of Advanced Magnetic Materials, College of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, 310018, PR China.
| | - Lanlan Liu
- International Research Center for EM Metamaterials and Institute of Advanced Magnetic Materials, College of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, 310018, PR China.
| | - Guohao Bo
- International Research Center for EM Metamaterials and Institute of Advanced Magnetic Materials, College of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, 310018, PR China.
| | - Qiang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentation, College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Chenjie Dai
- Electronic Information School, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Zhongyang Li
- Electronic Information School, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- International Research Center for EM Metamaterials and Institute of Advanced Magnetic Materials, College of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, 310018, PR China.
| | - Xuefeng Zhang
- International Research Center for EM Metamaterials and Institute of Advanced Magnetic Materials, College of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, 310018, PR China.
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6
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Popescu RC, Calin BS, Tanasa E, Vasile E, Mihailescu M, Paun IA. Magnetically-actuated microcages for cells entrapment, fabricated by laser direct writing via two photon polymerization. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1273277. [PMID: 38170069 PMCID: PMC10758856 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1273277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The manipulation of biological materials at cellular level constitutes a sine qua non and provocative research area regarding the development of micro/nano-medicine. In this study, we report on 3D superparamagnetic microcage-like structures that, in conjunction with an externally applied static magnetic field, were highly efficient in entrapping cells. The microcage-like structures were fabricated using Laser Direct Writing via Two-Photon Polymerization (LDW via TPP) of IP-L780 biocompatible photopolymer/iron oxide superparamagnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) composite. The unique properties of LDW via TPP technique enabled the reproduction of the complex architecture of the 3D structures, with a very high accuracy i.e., about 90 nm lateral resolution. 3D hyperspectral microscopy was employed to investigate the structural and compositional characteristics of the microcage-like structures. Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy was used to prove the unique features regarding the morphology and the functionality of the 3D structures seeded with MG-63 osteoblast-like cells. Comparative studies were made on microcage-like structures made of IP-L780 photopolymer alone (i.e., without superparamagnetic properties). We found that the cell-seeded structures made by IP-L780/MNPs composite actuated by static magnetic fields of 1.3 T were 13.66 ± 5.11 folds (p < 0.01) more efficient in terms of cells entrapment than the structures made by IP-L780 photopolymer alone (i.e., that could not be actuated magnetically). The unique 3D architecture of the microcage-like superparamagnetic structures and their actuation by external static magnetic fields acted in synergy for entrapping osteoblast-like cells, showing a significant potential for bone tissue engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxana Cristina Popescu
- Department of Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Engineering, Politehnica University from Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Life and Environmental Physics, National Institute for R&D in Physics and Nuclear Engineering “Horia Hulubei”, Magurele, Romania
- Faculty of Applied Physics, Politehnica University from Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Bogdan Stefanita Calin
- Center for Advanced Laser Technologies (CETAL), National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, Magurelee, Romania
| | - Eugenia Tanasa
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Applied Physics, Politehnica University from Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Eugeniu Vasile
- Faculty of Applied Physics, Politehnica University from Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Mona Mihailescu
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Applied Physics, Politehnica University from Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Irina Alexandra Paun
- Center for Advanced Laser Technologies (CETAL), National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, Magurelee, Romania
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Applied Physics, Politehnica University from Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
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7
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Zhou M, Chen S, Wei B, Yang D, Ma D, Huang S. Hollow mesoporous cubic silica self-assembling into photonic crystals with rhombohedral lattices and vivid structural colors for anti-counterfeiting. J Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 650:313-321. [PMID: 37413865 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.06.202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Colloidal photonic crystals (PCs) feature face-centered cubic (FCC) lattices since spherical particles are usually used as building blocks; however, constructing structural colors originating from PCs with non-FCC lattices is still a big challenge due to the difficulty in preparing non-spherical particles with tunable morphologies, sizes, uniformity, and surface properties and assembling them into ordered structures. Here, uniform, positively charged, and hollow mesoporous cubic silica particles (hmc-SiO2) with tunable sizes and shell thicknesses prepared by a template approach are used to self-assemble into PCs with rhombohedral lattice. The reflection wavelengths and structural colors of the PCs can be controlled by altering the sizes or the shell thicknesses of the hmc-SiO2. Additionally, photoluminescent PCs have been fabricated by taking the advantage of the click chemistry between amino silane and isothiocyanate of a commercial dye. The PC pattern achieved by a hand-writing way with the solution of the photoluminescent hmc-SiO2 instantly and reversibly shows the structural color under visible light but a different photoluminescent color under UV illumination, which is useful for anticounterfeiting and information encryption. The non-FCC structured and photoluminescent PCs will upgrade the basic understanding of the structural colors and facilitate their applications in optical devices, anti-counterfeiting, and so forth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingjian Zhou
- School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Shangxian Chen
- School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Boru Wei
- School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Dongpeng Yang
- School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, PR China.
| | - Dekun Ma
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Alternative Technologies for Fine Chemicals Process, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, PR China
| | - Shaoming Huang
- School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, PR China.
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Zhou MX, Jin F, Wang JY, Dong XZ, Liu J, Zheng ML. Dynamic Color-Switching of Hydrogel Micropillar Array under Ethanol Vapor for Optical Encryption. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2304384. [PMID: 37480176 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202304384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Responsive structural colors from artificially engineered micro/nanostructures are critical to the development of anti-counterfeiting, optical encryption, and intelligent display. Herein, the responsive structural color of hydrogel micropillar array is demonstrated under the external stimulus of ethanol vapor. Micropillar arrays with full color are fabricated via femtosecond laser direct writing by controlling the height and diameter of the micropillars according to the FDTD simulation. Color-switching of the micropillar arrays is achieved in <1 s due to the formation of liquid film among micropillars. More importantly, the structural color blueshift of the micropillar arrays is sensitive to the micropillar diameter, instead of the micropillar height. The micropillar array with a diameter of 772 nm takes 400 ms to complete blueshift under ethanol vapor, while that with a diameter of 522 nm blueshifts at 2400 ms. Microscale patterns are realized by employing the size-dependent color-switching of designed micropillar arrays under ethanol vapor. Moreover, Morse code and directional blueshift of structural colors are realized in the micropillar arrays. The advantages of controllable color-switching of the hydrogel micropillar array would be prospective in the areas of optical encryption, dynamic display, and anti-counterfeiting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Xia Zhou
- Laboratory of Organic NanoPhotonics and CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 29, Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yanqihu Campus, Beijing, 101407, P. R. China
| | - Feng Jin
- Laboratory of Organic NanoPhotonics and CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 29, Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Jian-Yu Wang
- Laboratory of Organic NanoPhotonics and CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 29, Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Xian-Zi Dong
- Laboratory of Organic NanoPhotonics and CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 29, Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Jie Liu
- Laboratory of Organic NanoPhotonics and CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 29, Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Mei-Ling Zheng
- Laboratory of Organic NanoPhotonics and CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 29, Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
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9
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Hu Y, Yu S, Wei B, Yang D, Ma D, Huang S. Stimulus-responsive nonclose-packed photonic crystals: fabrications and applications. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2023; 10:3895-3928. [PMID: 37448235 DOI: 10.1039/d3mh00877k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Stimulus-responsive photonic crystals (PCs) possessing unconventional nonclosely packed structures have received growing attention due to their unique capability of mimicking the active structural colors of natural organisms (for example, chameleons' mechanochromic properties). However, there is rarely any systematic review regarding the progress of nonclose-packed photonic crystals (NPCs), involving their fabrication, working mechanisms, and applications. Herein, a comprehensive review of the fundamental principles and practical fabrication strategies of one/two/three-dimensional NPCs is summarized from the perspective of designing nonclose-packed structures. Subsequently, responsive NPCs with exciting functions and working mechanisms are sorted and delineated according to their diverse responses to physical (force, temperature, magnetic, and electric fields), chemical (ions, pH, vapors, and solvents), and biological (glucose, organophosphate, creatinine, and bacteria) stimuli. We then systematically introduced and discussed the applications of NPCs in sensors, printing, anticounterfeiting, display, optical devices, etc. Finally, the current challenges and development prospects for NPCs are presented. This review not only concludes the design principle for NPCs but also provides a significant basis for the exploration of next-generation NPCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Hu
- School of Materials and Energy, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Materials and Energy Storage Devices, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China.
| | - Siyi Yu
- School of Materials and Energy, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Materials and Energy Storage Devices, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China.
| | - Boru Wei
- School of Materials and Energy, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Materials and Energy Storage Devices, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China.
| | - Dongpeng Yang
- School of Materials and Energy, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Materials and Energy Storage Devices, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China.
| | - Dekun Ma
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Alternative Technologies for Fine Chemicals Process, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, P. R. China
| | - Shaoming Huang
- School of Materials and Energy, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Materials and Energy Storage Devices, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China.
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10
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Xu A, Nourshargh C, Salter PS, He C, Elston SJ, Booth MJ, Morris SM. Laser-Written Tunable Liquid Crystal Aberration Correctors. ACS PHOTONICS 2023; 10:3401-3408. [PMID: 37743939 PMCID: PMC10515613 DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.3c00907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
In this Article, we present a series of novel laser-written liquid crystal (LC) devices for aberration control for applications in beam shaping or aberration correction through adaptive optics. Each transparent LC device can correct for a chosen aberration mode with continuous greyscale tuning up to a total magnitude of more than 2π radians phase difference peak to peak at a wavelength of λ = 660 nm. For the purpose of demonstration, we present five different devices for the correction of five independent Zernike polynomial modes (although the technique could readily be used to manufacture devices based on other modes). Each device is operated by a single electrode pair tuned between 0 and 10 V. These devices have potential as a low-cost alternative to spatial light modulators for applications where a low-order aberration correction is sufficient and transmissive geometries are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alec Xu
- Department of Engineering
Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX3 1PJ, United Kingdom
| | - Camron Nourshargh
- Department of Engineering
Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX3 1PJ, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick S. Salter
- Department of Engineering
Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX3 1PJ, United Kingdom
| | - Chao He
- Department of Engineering
Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX3 1PJ, United Kingdom
| | - Steve J. Elston
- Department of Engineering
Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX3 1PJ, United Kingdom
| | - Martin J. Booth
- Department of Engineering
Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX3 1PJ, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen M. Morris
- Department of Engineering
Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX3 1PJ, United Kingdom
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11
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Liu X, Liu J, Wei B, Yang D, Luo L, Ma D, Huang S. Bio-Inspired Highly Brilliant Structural Colors and Derived Photonic Superstructures for Information Encryption and Fluorescence Enhancement. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2302240. [PMID: 37330657 PMCID: PMC10460858 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202302240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Inspired by the brilliant and tunable structural colors based on the large refractive index contrast (Δn) and non-close-packing structures of chameleon skins, ZnS-silica photonic crystals (PCs) with highly saturated and adjustable colors are fabricated. Due to the large Δn and non-close-packing structure, ZnS-silica PCs show 1) intense reflectance (maximal: 90%), wide photonic bandgaps, and large peak areas, 2.6-7.6, 1.6, and 4.0 times higher than those of silica PCs, respectively; 2) tunable colors by simply adjusting the volume fraction of particles with the same size, more convenient than the conventional way of altering particle sizes; and 3) a relatively low threshold of PC's thickness (57 µm) possessing maximal reflectance compared to that (>200 µm) of the silica PCs. Benefiting from the core-shell structure of the particles, various derived photonic superstructures are fabricated by co-assembling ZnS-silica and silica particles into PCs or by selectively etching silica or ZnS of ZnS-silica/silica and ZnS-silica PCs. A new information encryption technique is developed based on the unique reversible "disorder-order" switch of water-responsive photonic superstructures. Additionally, ZnS-silica PCs are ideal candidates for enhancing fluorescence (approximately tenfold), approximately six times higher than that of silica PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoru Liu
- School of Materials and EnergySchool of Physics and Optoelectric EngineeringGuangzhou Key Laboratory of Low‐Dimensional Materials and Energy Storage DevicesGuangdong University of TechnologyGuangzhou510006P. R. China
| | - Junfu Liu
- School of Materials and EnergySchool of Physics and Optoelectric EngineeringGuangzhou Key Laboratory of Low‐Dimensional Materials and Energy Storage DevicesGuangdong University of TechnologyGuangzhou510006P. R. China
| | - Boru Wei
- School of Materials and EnergySchool of Physics and Optoelectric EngineeringGuangzhou Key Laboratory of Low‐Dimensional Materials and Energy Storage DevicesGuangdong University of TechnologyGuangzhou510006P. R. China
| | - Dongpeng Yang
- School of Materials and EnergySchool of Physics and Optoelectric EngineeringGuangzhou Key Laboratory of Low‐Dimensional Materials and Energy Storage DevicesGuangdong University of TechnologyGuangzhou510006P. R. China
| | - Li Luo
- School of Materials and EnergySchool of Physics and Optoelectric EngineeringGuangzhou Key Laboratory of Low‐Dimensional Materials and Energy Storage DevicesGuangdong University of TechnologyGuangzhou510006P. R. China
| | - Dekun Ma
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Alternative Technologies for Fine Chemicals ProcessShaoxing UniversityShaoxing312000P. R. China
| | - Shaoming Huang
- School of Materials and EnergySchool of Physics and Optoelectric EngineeringGuangzhou Key Laboratory of Low‐Dimensional Materials and Energy Storage DevicesGuangdong University of TechnologyGuangzhou510006P. R. China
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12
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Lan R, Shen W, Yao W, Chen J, Chen X, Yang H. Bioinspired humidity-responsive liquid crystalline materials: from adaptive soft actuators to visualized sensors and detectors. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2023; 10:2824-2844. [PMID: 37211901 DOI: 10.1039/d3mh00392b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Inspired by nature, humidity-responsive materials and devices have attracted significant interest from scientists in multiple disciplines, ranging from chemistry, physics and materials science to biomimetics. Owing to their superiorities, including harmless stimulus and untethered control, humidity-driven materials have been widely investigated for application in soft robots, smart sensors and detectors, biomimetic devices and anticounterfeiting labels. Especially, humidity-responsive liquid crystalline materials are particularly appealing due to the combination of programmable and adaptive liquid crystal matrix and humidity-controllability, enabling the fabrication of advanced self-adaptive robots and visualized sensors. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in humidity-driven liquid crystalline materials. First, a brief introduction of liquid crystal materials, including liquid crystalline polymers, cholesteric liquid crystals, blue-phase liquid crystals and cholesteric cellulose nanocrystals is provided. Subsequently, the mechanisms of humidity-responsiveness are presented, followed by the diverse strategies for the fabrication of humidity-responsive liquid crystalline materials. The applications of humidity-driven devices will be presented ranging from soft actuators to visualized sensors and detectors. Finally, we provide an outlook on the development of humidity-driven liquid crystalline materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruochen Lan
- Institute of Advanced Materials & Key Lab of Fluorine and Silicon for Energy Materials and Chemistry of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China.
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Wenbo Shen
- Hangzhou WITLANCE Technology Co. Ltd, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Wenhuan Yao
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Jingyu Chen
- Institute of Advanced Materials & Key Lab of Fluorine and Silicon for Energy Materials and Chemistry of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China.
| | - Xinyu Chen
- Institute of Advanced Materials & Key Lab of Fluorine and Silicon for Energy Materials and Chemistry of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China.
| | - Huai Yang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
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13
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Chen M, Gao M, Bai L, Zheng H, Qi HJ, Zhou K. Recent Advances in 4D Printing of Liquid Crystal Elastomers. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2209566. [PMID: 36461147 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202209566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are renowned for their large, reversible, and anisotropic shape change in response to various external stimuli due to their lightly cross-linked polymer networks with an oriented mesogen direction, thus showing great potential for applications in robotics, bio-medics, electronics, optics, and energy. To fully take advantage of the anisotropic stimuli-responsive behaviors of LCEs, it is preferable to achieve a locally controlled mesogen alignment into monodomain orientations. In recent years, the application of 4D printing to LCEs opens new doors for simultaneously programming the mesogen alignment and the 3D geometry, offering more opportunities and higher feasibility for the fabrication of 4D-printed LCE objects with desirable stimuli-responsive properties. Here, the state-of-the-art advances in 4D printing of LCEs are reviewed, with emphasis on both the mechanisms and potential applications. First, the fundamental properties of LCEs and the working principles of the representative 4D printing techniques are briefly introduced. Then, the fabrication of LCEs by 4D printing techniques and the advantages over conventional manufacturing methods are demonstrated. Finally, perspectives on the current challenges and potential development trends toward the 4D printing of LCEs are discussed, which may shed light on future research directions in this new field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Chen
- Singapore Centre for 3D Printing, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
- HP-NTU Digital Manufacturing Corporate Lab, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Ming Gao
- Singapore Centre for 3D Printing, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
- HP-NTU Digital Manufacturing Corporate Lab, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Lichun Bai
- School of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410075, China
| | - Han Zheng
- Singapore Centre for 3D Printing, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - H Jerry Qi
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Kun Zhou
- Singapore Centre for 3D Printing, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
- HP-NTU Digital Manufacturing Corporate Lab, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
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14
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Feng W, Pal A, Wang T, Ren Z, Yan Y, Lu Y, Yang H, Sitti M. Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Polymeric Coatings for Colorful Artificial Muscles and Motile Humidity Sensor Skin Integrated with Magnetic Composites. ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS 2023; 33:adfm.202300731. [PMID: 37293509 PMCID: PMC7614630 DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202300731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Structural colorful cholesterics show impressive susceptibility to external stimulation, leading to applications in electro/mechano-chromic devices. However, out-of-plane actuation of structural colorful actuators based on cholesterics and the integration with other stimulation remains underdeveloped. Herein, colorful actuators and motile humidity sensors are developed using humidity-responsive cholesteric liquid crystal networks (CLCNs) and magnetic composites. The developed colorful actuator can exhibit synergistic out-of-plane shape morphing and color change in response to humidity, with CLCNs as colorful artificial muscles. Through the integration with magnetic control, the motile sensor can be navigated to open and confined spaces with the aid of friction to detect local relative humidity. The integration of multi-stimulation actuation of cholesteric magnetic actuators will expand the research frontier of structural colorful actuators and motile sensors for confined spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Feng
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Aniket Pal
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Tianlu Wang
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany; Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Ziyu Ren
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Yingbo Yan
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany; Laboratory for Multiscale Mechanics and Medical Science, SV LAB, School of Aerospace, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Yanqing Lu
- National Laboratory of Solid-state Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Huai Yang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering & School of Materials Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Metin Sitti
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany; Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland; School of Medicine and College of Engineering, Koç University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey
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15
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Dong B, Liu B, Chen C, Wang D, Zhang L, Xu L, Xiong W, Li J, Hu Y, Chu J, Wu D. Direct laser writing structural color for reversible encryption and decryption in different mediums. OPTICS LETTERS 2023; 48:2508-2511. [PMID: 37186706 DOI: 10.1364/ol.486950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Structural color (SC) has enormous potential for improving the visualization and identification of functional micro/nano structures for information encryption and intelligent sensing. Nevertheless, achieving the direct writing of SCs at the micro/nano scale and the change of color in response to external stimuli simultaneously is rather challenging. To this end, we directly printed woodpile structures (WSs) utilizing femtosecond laser two-photon polymerization (fs-TPP), which demonstrated obvious SCs under an optical microscope. After that, we achieved the change of SCs by transferring WSs between different mediums. Furthermore, the influence of laser power, structural parameters, and mediums on the SCs was systematically investigated, and the mechanism of SCs using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method was further explored. Finally, we realized the reversible encryption and decryption of certain information. This finding holds broad application prospects in smart sensing, anti-counterfeiting tags, and advanced photonic devices.
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16
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Wang Q, Cui H, Wang X, Hu Z, Tao P, Li M, Wang J, Tang Y, Xu H, He X. Exceptional Light Sensitivity by Thiol-Ene Click Lithography. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:3064-3074. [PMID: 36625511 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c11887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Lithographic patterning, which utilizes the solubility switch of photoresists to convert optical signals into nanostructures on the substrate, is the primary top-down approach for nanoscale fabrication. However, the low light/electron-energy conversion efficiency severely limits the throughput of lithography. Thiol-ene reaction, as a photoinitiated radical addition reaction, is widely known as click reaction in the field of chemistry due to its extremely high efficiency. Here, we introduce a click lithography strategy utilizing the rapid thiol-ene click reaction to realize ultraefficient nanofabrication. This novel approach facilitated by the implementation of ultrahigh-functionality material designs enables high-contrast patterning of metal-containing nanoclusters under an extremely low deep-ultraviolet exposure dose, e.g., 7.5 mJ cm-2, which is 10-20 times lower than the dose used in the photoacid generator-based photoresist system. Meanwhile, 45 nm dense patterns were also achieved at a low dose using electron beam lithography, revealing the great potential of this approach in high-resolution patterning. Our results demonstrated the high-sensitivity and high-resolution features of click lithography, providing inspiration for future lithography design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Wang
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Hao Cui
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Xiaolin Wang
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Ziyu Hu
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Peipei Tao
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Mingyang Li
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Jianlong Wang
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Yaping Tang
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Hong Xu
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Xiangming He
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
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17
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Dominici S, Kamranikia K, Mougin K, Spangenberg A. Smart Nematic Liquid Crystal Polymers for Micromachining Advances. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:124. [PMID: 36677185 PMCID: PMC9860665 DOI: 10.3390/mi14010124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The miniaturization of tools is an important step in human evolution to create faster devices as well as precise micromachines. Studies around this topic have allowed the creation of small-scale objects capable of a wide range of deformation to achieve complex tasks. Molecular arrangements have been investigated through liquid crystal polymer (LCP) to program such a movement. Smart polymers and hereby liquid crystal matrices are materials of interest for their easy structuration properties and their response to external stimuli. However, up until very recently, their employment at the microscale was mainly limited to 2D structuration. Among the numerous issues, one concerns the ability to 3D structure the material while controlling the molecular orientation during the polymerization process. This review aims to report recent efforts focused on the microstructuration of LCP, in particular those dealing with 3D microfabrication via two-photon polymerization (TPP). Indeed, the latter has revolutionized the production of 3D complex micro-objects and is nowadays recognized as the gold standard for 3D micro-printing. After a short introduction highlighting the interest in micromachines, some basic principles of liquid crystals are recalled from the molecular aspect to their implementation. Finally, the possibilities offered by TPP as well as the way to monitor the motion into the fabricated microrobots are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Dominici
- Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse (IS2M), CNRS–UMR 7361, Université de Haute-Alsace, 15 rue Jean Starcky, 68057 Mulhouse, France
- Université de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Keynaz Kamranikia
- Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse (IS2M), CNRS–UMR 7361, Université de Haute-Alsace, 15 rue Jean Starcky, 68057 Mulhouse, France
- Université de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Karine Mougin
- Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse (IS2M), CNRS–UMR 7361, Université de Haute-Alsace, 15 rue Jean Starcky, 68057 Mulhouse, France
- Université de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Arnaud Spangenberg
- Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse (IS2M), CNRS–UMR 7361, Université de Haute-Alsace, 15 rue Jean Starcky, 68057 Mulhouse, France
- Université de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
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18
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Liu B, Dong B, Xin C, Chen C, Zhang L, Wang D, Hu Y, Li J, Zhang L, Wu D, Chu J. 4D Direct Laser Writing of Submerged Structural Colors at the Microscale. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2204630. [PMID: 36382576 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202204630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Biomimetic stimuli-responsive structure colors (SCs) can improve the visualization and identification in the micro functional structure field such as information encryption/decryption and smart actuators. However, it is still challenging to develop the ability to 4D print arbitrary submerged colorful patterns with stimuli-responsive materials at the microscale. Herein, a hydrogel photoresist with feature resolution (98 nm) for the fabrication of 4D microscopic SCs by the femtosecond direct laser writing method is developed. The 4D printed woodpile SCs are grouped as pixel palettes with various laser parameters and they spanned almost the entire color space. The coloring mechanism of diffraction gratings is not only investigated by optics microscopy and spectroscopy but also supported by simulation. Moreover, the 4D printed hydrogel-integrated amphichromatic fish constructions and pixelated painting can visually discolor reversibly by regulating the solution pH. This finding promises an ideal coloring method for sensors, anti-counterfeiting labels, and transformable photonic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingrui Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, P. R. China
| | - Bin Dong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, P. R. China
| | - Chen Xin
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin NT, Hong Kong, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Chao Chen
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, P. R. China
| | - Leran Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, P. R. China
| | - Dawei Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, P. R. China
| | - Yanlei Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, P. R. China
| | - Jiawen Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, P. R. China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin NT, Hong Kong, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Dong Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, P. R. China
| | - Jiaru Chu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, P. R. China
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19
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Zhang P, de Haan LT, Debije MG, Schenning APHJ. Liquid crystal-based structural color actuators. LIGHT, SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS 2022; 11:248. [PMID: 35931672 PMCID: PMC9356073 DOI: 10.1038/s41377-022-00937-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Animals can modify their body shape and/or color for protection, camouflage and communication. This adaptability has inspired fabrication of actuators with structural color changes to endow soft robots with additional functionalities. Using liquid crystal-based materials for actuators with structural color changes is a promising approach. In this review, we discuss the current state of liquid crystal-based actuators with structural color changes and the potential applications of these structural color actuators in soft robotic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Zhang
- Stimuli-responsive Functional Materials and Devices, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Den Dolech 2, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Laurens T de Haan
- Stimuli-responsive Functional Materials and Devices, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM), National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Michael G Debije
- Stimuli-responsive Functional Materials and Devices, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Den Dolech 2, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
| | - Albert P H J Schenning
- Stimuli-responsive Functional Materials and Devices, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Den Dolech 2, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
- SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM), National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
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20
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Liu H, Wang Y, Shi Z, Tan D, Yang X, Xiong L, Li G, Lei Y, Xue L. Fast Self-Assembly of Photonic Crystal Hydrogel for Wearable Strain and Temperature Sensor. SMALL METHODS 2022; 6:e2200461. [PMID: 35521951 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202200461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Structural colors from photonic crystals (PCs) have attracted emerging attention in the research area of wearable sensors. Conventional self-assembly of PC takes days to weeks. Here, a fast self-assembly method of PC with horizontal precipitation of silica nanoparticles (NPs) in a polydimethylsiloxane fence, which can be completed within 1-4 h depending on the fence parameters, is introduced. The resultant PC exhibits tunable structural colors in the entire visible spectrum. With infiltration of composite hydrogels containing acrylic acid, acrylamide, chitosan, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the gaps of NPs to form an inverse opal PC, a structural color hydrogel that can quickly respond to different stimuli, including strain and temperature, is obtained. Moreover, with the addition of CNTs, the composite PC hydrogel can also output an electronic signal together with optical color changes. Based on these extraordinary responsive behaviors, the PC hydrogel sensor for quantitative feedback to external stimuli of stretching, bending, pressing, and thermal stimuli, with brilliant color change and electronic signal outputs simultaneously, is demonstrated. This fast-assembled PC hydrogel with excellent responsive properties has great potential for applications in wearable devices, mechanical sensors, temperature sensors, and colorimetric displays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyang Liu
- School of Power and Mechanical Engineering and The Institute of Technological Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Yan Wang
- School of Power and Mechanical Engineering and The Institute of Technological Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Zhekun Shi
- School of Power and Mechanical Engineering and The Institute of Technological Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Di Tan
- School of Power and Mechanical Engineering and The Institute of Technological Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Xichen Yang
- School of Power and Mechanical Engineering and The Institute of Technological Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Lingheng Xiong
- School of Power and Mechanical Engineering and The Institute of Technological Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Gang Li
- School of Power and Mechanical Engineering and The Institute of Technological Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Yifeng Lei
- School of Power and Mechanical Engineering and The Institute of Technological Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
- Wuhan University Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518057, China
| | - Longjian Xue
- School of Power and Mechanical Engineering and The Institute of Technological Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
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21
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Liu H, Wang H, Wang H, Deng J, Ruan Q, Zhang W, Abdelraouf OAM, Ang NSS, Dong Z, Yang JKW, Liu H. High-Order Photonic Cavity Modes Enabled 3D Structural Colors. ACS NANO 2022; 16:8244-8252. [PMID: 35533374 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c01999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
It remains a challenge to directly print arbitrary three-dimensional shapes that exhibit structural colors at the micrometer scale. Woodpile photonic crystals (WPCs) fabricated via two-photon lithography (TPL) are elementary building blocks to produce 3D geometries that generate structural colors due to their ability to exhibit either omnidirectional or anisotropic photonic stop bands. However, existing approaches produce structural colors on WPCs when illuminating from the top, requiring print resolutions beyond the limit of commercial TPL, which necessitates postprocessing techniques. Here, we devised a strategy to support high-order photonic cavity modes upon side illumination on WPCs that surprisingly generate prominent reflectance peaks in the visible spectrum. Based on that, we demonstrate one-step printing of 3D photonic structural colors without requiring postprocessing or subwavelength features. Vivid colors with reflectance peaks exhibiting a full width at half-maximum of ∼25 nm, a maximum reflectance of 50%, a gamut of ∼85% of sRGB, and large viewing angles were achieved. In addition, we also demonstrated voxel-level manipulation and control of colors in arbitrary-shaped 3D objects constituted with WPCs as unit cells, which has potential for applications in dynamic color displays, colorimetric sensing, anti-counterfeiting, and light-matter interaction platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailong Liu
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 2 Fusionopolis Way, Innovis, #08-03, Singapore, 138634, Singapore
| | - Hongtao Wang
- Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, Singapore, 487372, Singapore
| | - Hao Wang
- Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, Singapore, 487372, Singapore
| | - Jie Deng
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 2 Fusionopolis Way, Innovis, #08-03, Singapore, 138634, Singapore
| | - Qifeng Ruan
- Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, Singapore, 487372, Singapore
| | - Wang Zhang
- Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, Singapore, 487372, Singapore
| | - Omar A M Abdelraouf
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 2 Fusionopolis Way, Innovis, #08-03, Singapore, 138634, Singapore
- School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637371, Singapore
| | - Norman Soo Seng Ang
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 2 Fusionopolis Way, Innovis, #08-03, Singapore, 138634, Singapore
| | - Zhaogang Dong
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 2 Fusionopolis Way, Innovis, #08-03, Singapore, 138634, Singapore
| | - Joel K W Yang
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 2 Fusionopolis Way, Innovis, #08-03, Singapore, 138634, Singapore
- Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, Singapore, 487372, Singapore
| | - Hong Liu
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 2 Fusionopolis Way, Innovis, #08-03, Singapore, 138634, Singapore
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22
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Zhang P, Debije MG, de Haan LT, Schenning APHJ. Pigmented Structural Color Actuators Fueled by Near-Infrared Light. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:20093-20100. [PMID: 35451302 PMCID: PMC9073939 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c03392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Cuttlefish can modify their body shape and both their pigmentary and structural colors for protection. This adaptability has inspired the development of appearance-changing polymers such as structural color actuators, although in most cases, the original shape has been confined to being flat, and pigmented structural color actuators have not yet been reported. Here, we have successfully created a pigmented structural color actuator using a cholesteric liquid crystal elastomer with a lower actuation temperature where both actuation and coloration (structural and pigmental) are tunable with temperature and NIR light. The shape, structural color, and absorption of the NIR-absorbing dye pigment of the actuator all change with temperature. Light can be used to trigger local in-plane bending actuation in flat films and local shape changes in a variety of 3D-shaped objects. A cuttlefish mimic that can sense light and respond by locally changing its appearance was also made to demonstrate the potential of pigmented structural color actuators for signaling and camouflage in soft robotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Zhang
- Stimuli-Responsive
Functional Materials and Devices, Department of Chemical Engineering
and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Michael G. Debije
- Stimuli-Responsive
Functional Materials and Devices, Department of Chemical Engineering
and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Laurens T. de Haan
- SCNU-TUE
Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM), National
Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
| | - Albert P. H. J. Schenning
- Stimuli-Responsive
Functional Materials and Devices, Department of Chemical Engineering
and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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Sun D, Zheng L, Xu X, Du K, An Z, Zhou X, Chen L, Zhu J, Chen D. Multi-functional stimuli-responsive biomimetic flower assembled from CLCE and MOF-based pedals. CHINESE CHEM LETT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2022.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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24
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Arai Y, Yashiro N, Imura Y, Wang KH, Kawai T. Thermally Tunable Structural Coloration of Water/Surfactant/Oil Emulsions. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:569-575. [PMID: 34933556 PMCID: PMC8757461 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c03020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Stimuli-responsive structural color in nature has fascinated scientists, directing them to develop artificial coloration materials that adjust colors in response to external stimuli. Many stimuli-responsive structural color materials have been realized. However, only a few have reported on all-liquid-type materials, which have a particularly desirable feature because they impart their function to the device of any shape. We have previously reported the development of a consistent structural color within a narrow temperature range for all-liquid-type emulsions comprising a long-chain amidoamine derivative (C18AA) and tetraoctylammonium bromide (TOAB). In the present study, we demonstrate that introducing NaCl as an electrolyte affords a highly thermo-sensitive color-changing ability to the emulsions. The structural color of the emulsions can be controlled from red to blue by tuning the temperature. Furthermore, the C18AA and TOAB concentrations can independently regulate the color and coloring-temperature, respectively, realizing that the desired color can develop at a given temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuto Arai
- Department of Industrial Chemistry, Tokyo University of Science, 1-3 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8601, Japan
| | - Nayuta Yashiro
- Department of Industrial Chemistry, Tokyo University of Science, 1-3 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8601, Japan
| | - Yoshiro Imura
- Department of Industrial Chemistry, Tokyo University of Science, 1-3 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8601, Japan
| | - Ke-Hsuan Wang
- Department of Industrial Chemistry, Tokyo University of Science, 1-3 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8601, Japan
| | - Takeshi Kawai
- Department of Industrial Chemistry, Tokyo University of Science, 1-3 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8601, Japan
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Del Pozo M, Sol JAHP, Schenning APHJ, Debije MG. 4D Printing of Liquid Crystals: What's Right for Me? ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2104390. [PMID: 34716625 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202104390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Recent years have seen major advances in the developments of both additive manufacturing concepts and responsive materials. When combined as 4D printing, the process can lead to functional materials and devices for use in health, energy generation, sensing, and soft robots. Among responsive materials, liquid crystals, which can deliver programmed, reversible, rapid responses in both air and underwater, are a prime contender for additive manufacturing, given their ease of use and adaptability to many different applications. In this paper, selected works are compared and analyzed to come to a didactical overview of the liquid crystal-additive manufacturing junction. Reading from front to back gives the reader a comprehensive understanding of the options and challenges in the field, while researchers already experienced in either liquid crystals or additive manufacturing are encouraged to scan through the text to see how they can incorporate additive manufacturing or liquid crystals into their own work. The educational text is closed with proposals for future research in this crossover field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Del Pozo
- Laboratory for Stimuli-Responsive Functional Materials & Devices (SFD), Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen A H P Sol
- Laboratory for Stimuli-Responsive Functional Materials & Devices (SFD), Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, The Netherlands
| | - Albert P H J Schenning
- Laboratory for Stimuli-Responsive Functional Materials & Devices (SFD), Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, The Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, The Netherlands
| | - Michael G Debije
- Laboratory for Stimuli-Responsive Functional Materials & Devices (SFD), Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612 AE, The Netherlands
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26
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Gu H, Liu X, Mu Z, Wang Q, Ding H, Du X, Gu Z. Wide-Gamut Biomimetic Structural Colors from Interference-Assisted Two-Photon Polymerization. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:60648-60659. [PMID: 34881867 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c18604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Two-photon polymerization (TPP) is an emerging direct laser writing technique for the fabrication of structural colors. However, its coloration ability is suppressed as the vertical resolution is up to several microns. To solve this issue, an interference-assisted TPP technique was employed. Laser interference at a highly reflective interface produced the periodic energy redistribution along the vertical direction, turning the laser voxel into multilayer structures and confirming this technology as a facile and robust method for precise control of its vertical feature size. Biomimetic structural colors (BSCs) inspired from the ridge-lamella configurations in the Morph butterflies were fabricated using this improved TPP technique. The coloration mechanisms of the multilayer interference from the lamella layers, the thin-film interference from the fusion of multilayers, and the hybrid situations were systematically studied. These BSC colors were grouped as pixel palettes with various TPP parameters corresponding to each other, and they spanned almost the entire standard red-green-blue color space. Moreover, under optimized conditions, it was possible to fabricate a 1 cm2 area within 2.5 h. These features make interference-assisted TPP an ideal coloration method for practical applications, such as display, decoration, sensing, and so on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongcheng Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Xiaojiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Zhongde Mu
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Qiong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Haibo Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Xin Du
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Zhongze Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
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Carlotti M, Tricinci O, den Hoed F, Palagi S, Mattoli V. Direct laser writing of liquid crystal elastomers oriented by a horizontal electric field. OPEN RESEARCH EUROPE 2021; 1:129. [PMID: 37645193 PMCID: PMC10445945 DOI: 10.12688/openreseurope.14135.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Background: The ability to fabricate components capable of performing actuation in a reliable and controlled manner is one of the main research topics in the field of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). However, the development of these technologies can be limited in many cases by 2D lithographic techniques employed in the fabrication process. Direct Laser Writing (DLW), a 3D microprinting technique based on two-photon polymerization, can offer novel solutions to prepare, both rapidly and reliably, 3D nano- and microstructures of arbitrary complexity. In addition, the use of functional materials in the printing process can result in the fabrication of smart and responsive devices. Methods: In this study, we present a novel methodology for the printing of 3D actuating microelements comprising Liquid Crystal Elastomers (LCEs) obtained by DLW. The alignment of the mesogens was performed using a static electric field (1.7 V/µm) generated by indium-tin oxide (ITO) electrodes patterned directly on the printing substrates. Results: When exposed to a temperature higher than 50°C, the printed microstructures actuated rapidly and reversibly of about 8% in the direction perpendicular to the director. Conclusions: A novel methodology was developed that allows the printing of directional actuators comprising LCEs via DLW. To impart the necessary alignment of the mesogens, a static electric field was applied before the printing process by making use of flat ITO electrodes present on the printing substrates. The resulting microelements showed a reversible change in shape when heated higher than 50 °C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Carlotti
- Center for Materials Interfaces (CMI), Italian Institute of Technology, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, Pontedera, 56025, Italy
| | - Omar Tricinci
- Center for Materials Interfaces (CMI), Italian Institute of Technology, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, Pontedera, 56025, Italy
| | - Frank den Hoed
- Center for Materials Interfaces (CMI), Italian Institute of Technology, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, Pontedera, 56025, Italy
- Engineering and Technology institute Groningen (ENTEG), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, Groningen, 4747 AG, The Netherlands
| | - Stefano Palagi
- The Biorobotic Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, Pontedera, 56025, Italy
| | - Virgilio Mattoli
- Center for Materials Interfaces (CMI), Italian Institute of Technology, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, Pontedera, 56025, Italy
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Delaney C, Qian J, Zhang X, Potyrailo R, Bradley AL, Florea L. Direct laser writing of vapour-responsive photonic arrays. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY. C 2021; 9:11674-11678. [PMID: 34671481 PMCID: PMC8444305 DOI: 10.1039/d1tc01796a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Using direct laser writing, arrays of optically responsive ionogel structures were fabricated. To demonstrate their responsive nature, visible colour changes in the presence of different solvent vapours were investigated. This represents a new departure for photonic structural colouration, in which the fabricating structure shows a programmable, controllable, and dynamic stimuli response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colm Delaney
- School of Chemistry & AMBER, The SFI Research Centre for Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research, Trinity College Dublin Dublin 2 Ireland
| | - Jing Qian
- School of Physics and AMBER, Trinity College Dublin, College Green Dublin 2 Ireland
| | - Xia Zhang
- School of Physics and AMBER, Trinity College Dublin, College Green Dublin 2 Ireland
| | | | - A Louise Bradley
- School of Physics and AMBER, Trinity College Dublin, College Green Dublin 2 Ireland
| | - Larisa Florea
- School of Chemistry & AMBER, The SFI Research Centre for Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research, Trinity College Dublin Dublin 2 Ireland
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29
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Huang F, Weng Y, Lin Y, Zhang X, Wang Y, Chen S. Wetting-Enhanced Structural Color for Convenient and Reversible Encryption of Optical Information. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:42276-42286. [PMID: 34432423 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c13469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Encrypted storage of optical information has attracted increasing interest for anticounterfeiting, information transmission, and military applications. In this study, an inverse opal-structured titanium dioxide/heptadecafluorodecyltrimethoxysilane (IOS-T/F) panel is developed. Based on a unique wetting-enhanced mechanism of structural color vision derived from a reduced light scattering and strengthened effective refractive index, this panel is capable of reversible writing/erasing and encryption/decryption of optical information. Multiple levels of information can be compiled, concealed, and erased simply using controlled ultraviolet irradiation to form patterned hydrophilic/hydrophobic differences, and the process of revealing or concealing the information only requires a few drops of water or evaporation, respectively. Importantly, the functions of the IOS-T/F panel can be well maintained under harsh conditions, including strongly acidic/alkaline environments or extreme temperatures (from -40 to 80 °C), as well as can be recovered after staining by various pollutants. This system provides simple encryption, rapid decryption, and the ability to store multiple sets of information under diverse application scenarios, which represents a novel material design strategy for security-related applications and smart optical systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengting Huang
- Nanshan District Key Lab for Biopolymers and Safety Evaluation; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Polymer Science and Technology; Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials; College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China
| | - Yanhong Weng
- Nanshan District Key Lab for Biopolymers and Safety Evaluation; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Polymer Science and Technology; Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials; College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China
| | - Yanxuan Lin
- Nanshan District Key Lab for Biopolymers and Safety Evaluation; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Polymer Science and Technology; Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials; College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China
| | - Xingcai Zhang
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Yuanfeng Wang
- Nanshan District Key Lab for Biopolymers and Safety Evaluation; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Polymer Science and Technology; Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials; College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China
| | - Shiguo Chen
- Nanshan District Key Lab for Biopolymers and Safety Evaluation; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Polymer Science and Technology; Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials; College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China
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30
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Balani SB, Ghaffar SH, Chougan M, Pei E, Şahin E. Processes and materials used for direct writing technologies: A review. RESULTS IN ENGINEERING 2021; 11:100257. [DOI: https:/doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2021.100257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
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31
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Balani SB, Ghaffar SH, Chougan M, Pei E, Şahin E. Processes and materials used for direct writing technologies: A review. RESULTS IN ENGINEERING 2021; 11:100257. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rineng.2021.100257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
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32
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Noniridescent structural color from enhanced electromagnetic resonances of particle aggregations and its applications for reconfigurable patterns. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 604:178-187. [PMID: 34265678 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.06.148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS The conventional noniridescent structural colors refer to the coherent scattering of visible light by the short-range ordered structures assembled from the small colloids (100-250 nm). Our hypothesis is that noniridescent structural color can be generated by the random aggregations of large silica particles through the enhanced electromagnetic resonances. EXPERIMENTS The random aggregations of large silica particles (350-475 nm) were prepared through the infiltration of silica particles solution with the porous substrate. The mechanism of the structural color is investigated. Reconfigurable patterns are prepared. FINDINGS Dissimilar to the conventional noniridescent colors, the angle-independent colors of silica aggregations originate from the enhanced electromagnetic resonances due to the random aggregation of the particles. The colors (blue, green, and red) and corresponding reflection peak positions of the particle aggregations can be well controlled by simply altering the size of the silica particles. Compared to the traditional prints with permanent patterns, reconfigurable patterns with large-area and multicolor can be fabricated by the repeatedly selective spray of water on the substrate pre-coated with noniridescent colors. This work provides new insight and greenway for the fabrication of noniridescent structural colors and reconfigurable patterns, and will promote their applications in soft display, green printing, and anti-counterfeiting.
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Zhang M, Shahsavan H, Guo Y, Pena-Francesch A, Zhang Y, Sitti M. Liquid-Crystal-Elastomer-Actuated Reconfigurable Microscale Kirigami Metastructures. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2008605. [PMID: 33987863 PMCID: PMC7612660 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202008605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Programmable actuation of metastructures with predesigned geometrical configurations has recently drawn significant attention in many applications, such as smart structures, medical devices, soft robotics, prosthetics, and wearable devices. Despite remarkable progress in this field, achieving wireless miniaturized reconfigurable metastructures remains a challenge due to the difficult nature of the fabrication and actuation processes at the micrometer scale. Herein, microscale thermo-responsive reconfigurable metasurfaces using stimuli-responsive liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) is fabricated as an artificial muscle for reconfiguring the 2D microscale kirigami structures. Such structures are fabricated via two-photon polymerization with sub-micrometer precision. Through rationally designed experiments guided by simulations, the optimal formulation of the LCE artificial muscle is explored and the relationship between shape transformation behaviors and geometrical parameters of the kirigami structures is build. As a proof of concept demonstration, the constructs for temperature-dependent switching and information encryption is applied. Such reconfigurable kirigami metastructures have significant potential for boosting the fundamental small-scale metastructure research and the design and fabrication of wireless functional devices, wearables, and soft robots at the microscale as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingchao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Hamed Shahsavan
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Yubing Guo
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Abdon Pena-Francesch
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Robotics Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Yingying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Metin Sitti
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8092, Switzerland
- School of Medicine and School of Engineering, Koç University, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey
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Liu X, Wei M, Wang Q, Tian Y, Han J, Gu H, Ding H, Chen Q, Zhou K, Gu Z. Capillary-Force-Driven Self-Assembly of 4D-Printed Microstructures. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2100332. [PMID: 33885192 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202100332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Capillary-force-driven self-assembly is emerging as a significant approach for the massive manufacture of advanced materials with novel wetting, adhesion, optical, mechanical, or electrical properties. However, academic value and practical applications of the self-assembly are greatly restricted because traditional micropillar self-assembly is always unidirectional. In this work, two-photon-lithography-based 4D microprinting is introduced to realize the reversible and bidirectional self-assembly of microstructures. With asymmetric crosslinking densities, the printed vertical microstructures can switch to a curved state with controlled thickness, curvature, and smooth morphology that are impossible to replicate by traditional 3D-printing technology. In different evaporating solvents, the 4D-printed microstructures can experience three states: (I) coalesce into clusters from original vertical states via traditional self-assembly, (II) remain curved, or (III) arbitrarily self-assemble (4D self-assembly) toward the curving directions. Compared to conventional approaches, this 4D self-assembly is distance-independent, which can generate varieties of assemblies with a yield as high as 100%. More importantly, the three states can be reversibly switched, allowing the development of many promising applications such as reversible micropatterns, switchable wetting, and dynamic actuation of microrobots, origami, and encapsulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Mengxiao Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Qiong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Yujia Tian
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Jiamian Han
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Hongcheng Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Haibo Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Qiang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Kun Zhou
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Zhongze Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
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35
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Lao Z, Xia N, Wang S, Xu T, Wu X, Zhang L. Tethered and Untethered 3D Microactuators Fabricated by Two-Photon Polymerization: A Review. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:465. [PMID: 33924199 PMCID: PMC8074609 DOI: 10.3390/mi12040465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Microactuators, which can transform external stimuli into mechanical motion at microscale, have attracted extensive attention because they can be used to construct microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and/or microrobots, resulting in extensive applications in a large number of fields such as noninvasive surgery, targeted delivery, and biomedical machines. In contrast to classical 2D MEMS devices, 3D microactuators provide a new platform for the research of stimuli-responsive functional devices. However, traditional planar processing techniques based on photolithography are inadequate in the construction of 3D microstructures. To solve this issue, researchers have proposed many strategies, among which 3D laser printing is becoming a prospective technique to create smart devices at the microscale because of its versatility, adjustability, and flexibility. Here, we review the recent progress in stimulus-responsive 3D microactuators fabricated with 3D laser printing depending on different stimuli. Then, an outlook of the design, fabrication, control, and applications of 3D laser-printed microactuators is propounded with the goal of providing a reference for related research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoxin Lao
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, Hong Kong 999077, China; (N.X.); (S.W.)
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Measuring Theory and Precision Instrument, School of Instrument Science and Opto-Electronics Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Key Laboratory of Precision Scientific Instrumentation of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Neng Xia
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, Hong Kong 999077, China; (N.X.); (S.W.)
| | - Shijie Wang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, Hong Kong 999077, China; (N.X.); (S.W.)
| | - Tiantian Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (T.X.); (X.W.)
| | - Xinyu Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (T.X.); (X.W.)
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, Hong Kong 999077, China; (N.X.); (S.W.)
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Structural multi-colour invisible inks with submicron 4D printing of shape memory polymers. Nat Commun 2021; 12:112. [PMID: 33397969 PMCID: PMC7782480 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20300-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Four-dimensional (4D) printing of shape memory polymer (SMP) imparts time responsive properties to 3D structures. Here, we explore 4D printing of a SMP in the submicron length scale, extending its applications to nanophononics. We report a new SMP photoresist based on Vero Clear achieving print features at a resolution of ~300 nm half pitch using two-photon polymerization lithography (TPL). Prints consisting of grids with size-tunable multi-colours enabled the study of shape memory effects to achieve large visual shifts through nanoscale structure deformation. As the nanostructures are flattened, the colours and printed information become invisible. Remarkably, the shape memory effect recovers the original surface morphology of the nanostructures along with its structural colour within seconds of heating above its glass transition temperature. The high-resolution printing and excellent reversibility in both microtopography and optical properties promises a platform for temperature-sensitive labels, information hiding for anti-counterfeiting, and tunable photonic devices.
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Abstract
Herein, recent developments in the 3D printing of materials with structural hierarchy and their future prospects are reviewed. It is shown that increasing the extent of ordering, is essential to access novel properties and functionalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joël Monti
- Institute of Nanotechnology
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
- 76128 Karlsruhe
- Germany
| | - Eva Blasco
- Institute of Nanotechnology
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
- 76128 Karlsruhe
- Germany
- Organisch-Chemisches Institut, University of Heidelberg
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