2. Academic Validation
  3. Supramolecular-covalent hybrid polymers for light-activated mechanical actuation

Supramolecular-covalent hybrid polymers for light-activated mechanical actuation

  • Nat Mater. 2020 Aug;19(8):900-909. doi: 10.1038/s41563-020-0707-7.
Chuang Li  # 1,  Aysenur Iscen  # 2,  Hiroaki Sai 1,  Kohei Sato 1,  Nicholas A Sather 3,  Stacey M Chin 1 4,  Zaida Álvarez 1 5,  Liam C Palmer 1 4,  George C Schatz 6 7,  Samuel I Stupp 8 9 10 11 12
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Simpson Querrey Institute, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
  • 2 Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
  • 3 Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
  • 4 Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
  • 5 Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
  • 6 Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. [email protected].
  • 7 Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. [email protected].
  • 8 Simpson Querrey Institute, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA. [email protected].
  • 9 Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. [email protected].
  • 10 Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. [email protected].
  • 11 Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA. [email protected].
  • 12 Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. [email protected].
  • # Contributed equally.
PMID: 32572204 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-020-0707-7
Abstract

The development of synthetic structures that mimic mechanical actuation in living matter such as autonomous translation and shape changes remains a grand challenge for Materials science. In living systems the integration of supramolecular structures and covalent Polymers contributes to the responsive behaviour of membranes, muscles and tendons, among Others. Here we describe hybrid light-responsive soft Materials composed of peptide amphiphile supramolecular Polymers chemically bonded to spiropyran-based networks that expel water in response to visible LIGHT. The supramolecular Polymers form a reversibly deformable and water-draining skeleton that mechanically reinforces the hybrid and can also be aligned by printing methods. The noncovalent skeleton embedded in the network thus enables faster bending and flattening actuation of objects, as well as longer steps during the light-driven crawling motion of macroscopic films. Our work suggests that hybrid bonding Polymers, which integrate supramolecular assemblies and covalent networks, offer strategies for the bottom-up design of soft matter that mimics living organisms.

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