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One-Component Dual Actuation: Poly(NIPAM) Can Actuate to Stable 3D Forms with Reversible Size Change
22.09.2016
One-Component Dual Actuation: Poly(NIPAM) Can Actuate to Stable 3D Forms with Reversible Size Change
Li Liu, Ali Ghaemi, Stephan Gekle, Seema Agarwal
Advanced Materials, 2016, 28 (44), 9792-9796.
The work provides a rare example of a one-component dual actuator with irreversible change in shape by rolling on contact with water and reversible size change on changing the temperature. The actuator has a bilayer structure with aligned and randomly oriented fibers of poly (N-isopropyl acrylamide). A combination of anisotropic E modulus and temperature dependent swelling/shrinkage provides the dual actuation.