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Zhan Y, Broer DJ, Li J, Xue J, Liu D. A cold-responsive liquid crystal elastomer provides visual signals for monitoring a critical temperature decrease. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2023. [PMID: 37098874 DOI: 10.1039/d3mh00271c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Critical temperature indicators have been extensively utilized in various fields, ranging from healthcare to food safety. However, the majority of the temperature indicators are designed for upper critical temperature monitoring, indicating when the temperature rises and exceeds a predefined limit, whereas stringently demanded low critical temperature indicators are scarcely developed. Herein, we develop a new material and system that monitor temperature decrease, e.g., from ambient temperature to the freezing point, or even to an ultra-low temperature of -20 °C. For this purpose, we create a dynamic membrane which can open and close during temperature cycles from high temperature to low temperature. This membrane consists of a gold-liquid crystal elastomer (Au-LCE) bilayer structure. Unlike the commonly used thermo-responsive LCEs which actuate upon temperature rise, our LCE is cold-responsive. This means that geometric deformations occur when the environmental temperature decreases. Specifically, upon temperature decrease the LCE creates stresses at the gold interface by uniaxial deformation due to expansion along the molecular director and shrinkage perpendicular to it. At a critical stress, optimized to occur at the desired temperature, the brittle Au top layer fractures, which allows contact between the LCE and material on top of the gold layer. Material transport via cracks enables the onset of the visible signal for instance caused by a pH indicator substance. We apply the dynamic Au-LCE membrane for cold-chain applications, indicating the loss of the effectiveness of perishable goods. We anticipate that our newly developed low critical temperature/time indicator will be shortly implemented in supply chains to minimize food and medical product waste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Zhan
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, 5612 AE Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, 5612 AE Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Dirk J Broer
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, 5612 AE Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, 5612 AE Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Junyu Li
- Molecular Materials and Nanosystems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, 5612 AE Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Jiuzhi Xue
- Smart Liquid Crystal Technologies Co. Ltd, Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute (JITRI), 280 Huangpujiang Road, Chuangshu, 215556, China
| | - Danqing Liu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, 5612 AE Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, 5612 AE Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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Zhan Y, Broer DJ, Liu D. Perspiring Soft Robotics Skin Constituted by Dynamic Polarity-Switching Porous Liquid Crystal Membrane. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2211143. [PMID: 36608160 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202211143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Secretion of functional fluids is essential for affecting surface properties in ecosystems. The existing polymer membranes that mimic human skin functions are limited to secreting, either apolar or polar, liquid. However, the development of membranes that grant exchange liquid with different polarities remains a grand challenge. This process is prohibited by the mismatch of the polarity between the carrier polymer and the loaded liquid. To conquer this limitation, an innovative strategy is reported to dynamically switch the polarity of the porous membrane, thereby empowering the exchange of apolar liquid with polar liquid and vice versa. This approach incorporates a benzoic acid derivative into the original apolar polymer network. The benzoic acid dimerizes and forms hydrogen bonds, which supports the molecular alignment, but can be broken into the ionic state when subjected to alkaline treatment, changing the polarity of themembrane. Consequently, the apolar liquid can be replaced with a more polar one. This polar liquid is ejected upon safe-dose UV illumination from the membrane. Reabsorption occurs on demand by illumination of visible light or when left in contact with the membrane, spontaneously in the dark. Based on this, the consumed membrane is replenished with the same or different exchanging liquid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Zhan
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612AE, The Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612AE, The Netherlands
| | - Dirk J Broer
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612AE, The Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612AE, The Netherlands
| | - Danqing Liu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612AE, The Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 3, Eindhoven, 5612AE, The Netherlands
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Zhan Y, Calierno S, Peixoto J, Mitzer L, Broer DJ, Liu D. Light‐ and Field‐Controlled Diffusion, Ejection, Flow and Collection of Liquid at a Nanoporous Liquid Crystal Membrane. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202207468. [PMID: 35789038 PMCID: PMC9542808 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202207468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Liquid manipulation at solid surfaces has attracted plenty of interest yet most of them are limited to one or two direction(s), while transport in three dimensions is largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrate three‐dimensionally steered dynamic liquid mobility at nanoporous liquid crystal polymer coatings. To this end, we orchestrate liquid motion via sequential triggers of light and/or electric field. Upon a primary flood exposure to UV light, liquid is ejected globally over the entire coating surfaces. We further reallocate the secreted liquid by applying a secondary electric field stimulus. By doing so, the liquid is transported and collected at pre‐set positions as determined by the electrode positions. We further monitor this process in real‐time and perform precise analysis. Interestingly, when applying those two triggers simultaneously, we discover a UV‐gated liquid‐release effect, which decreases threshold voltage as well as threshold frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Zhan
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry Eindhoven University of Technology Groene Loper 3 5612 AE Eindhoven The Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS) Eindhoven University of Technology Groene Loper 3 5612 AE Eindhoven The Netherlands
| | - Serena Calierno
- Department of Chemical Engineering University of Naples Federico II Corso Umberto I, 40 80138, NA Napoli Italy
| | - Jacques Peixoto
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry Eindhoven University of Technology Groene Loper 3 5612 AE Eindhoven The Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS) Eindhoven University of Technology Groene Loper 3 5612 AE Eindhoven The Netherlands
| | - Lars Mitzer
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry Eindhoven University of Technology Groene Loper 3 5612 AE Eindhoven The Netherlands
| | - Dirk J. Broer
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry Eindhoven University of Technology Groene Loper 3 5612 AE Eindhoven The Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS) Eindhoven University of Technology Groene Loper 3 5612 AE Eindhoven The Netherlands
- Joint Research Lab of Devices Integrated Responsive Materials South China Normal University Guangzhou 510006 China
| | - Danqing Liu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry Eindhoven University of Technology Groene Loper 3 5612 AE Eindhoven The Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS) Eindhoven University of Technology Groene Loper 3 5612 AE Eindhoven The Netherlands
- Joint Research Lab of Devices Integrated Responsive Materials South China Normal University Guangzhou 510006 China
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Zhan Y, Calierno S, Peixoto J, Mitzer L, Broer DJ, Liu D. Light‐ and Field‐Controlled Diffusion, Ejection, Flow and Collection of Liquid at a Nanoporous Liquid Crystal Membrane. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202207468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Zhan
- Eindhoven University of Technology: Technische Universiteit Eindhoven Chemical Engineering and Chemistry NETHERLANDS
| | - Serena Calierno
- University of Naples Federico II Faculty of Engineering: Universita degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Chemial Engineering ITALY
| | - Jacques Peixoto
- Eindhoven University of Technology: Technische Universiteit Eindhoven CE&E NETHERLANDS
| | - Lars Mitzer
- Eindhoven University of Technology: Technische Universiteit Eindhoven Chemical Engineering and Chemistry NETHERLANDS
| | - Dirk J. Broer
- Eindhoven University of Technology: Technische Universiteit Eindhoven Chemical Engineering and Chemistry NETHERLANDS
| | - Danqing Liu
- Eindhoven University of Technology: Technische Universiteit Eindhoven Chemical Engineering and Chemistry Den Dolech 2 Eindhoven NETHERLANDS
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Feng F, Duffy D, Warner M, Biggins JS. Interfacial metric mechanics: stitching patterns of shape change in active sheets. Proc Math Phys Eng Sci 2022; 478:20220230. [PMID: 35814332 PMCID: PMC9240917 DOI: 10.1098/rspa.2022.0230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A flat sheet programmed with a planar pattern of spontaneous shape change will morph into a curved surface. Such metric mechanics is seen in growing biological sheets, and may be engineered in actuating soft matter sheets such as phase-changing liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs), swelling gels and inflating baromorphs. Here, we show how to combine multiple patterns in a sheet by stitching regions of different shape changes together piecewise along interfaces. This approach allows simple patterns to be used as building blocks, and enables the design of multi-material or active/passive sheets. We give a general condition for an interface to be geometrically compatible, and explore its consequences for LCE/LCE, gel/gel and active/passive interfaces. In contraction/elongation systems such as LCEs, we find an infinite set of compatible interfaces between any pair of patterns along which the metric is discontinuous, and a finite number across which the metric is continuous. As an example, we find all possible interfaces between pairs of LCE logarithmic spiral patterns. By contrast, in isotropic systems such as swelling gels, only a finite number of continuous interfaces are available, greatly limiting the potential of stitching. In both continuous and discontinuous cases, we find the stitched interfaces generically carry singular Gaussian curvature, leading to intrinsically curved folds in the actuated surface. We give a general expression for the distribution of this curvature, and a more specialized form for interfaces in LCE patterns. The interfaces thus also have rich geometric and mechanical properties in their own right.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Feng
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1PZ, UK
| | - Daniel Duffy
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1PZ, UK
| | - Mark Warner
- Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK
| | - John S. Biggins
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1PZ, UK
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