Abstract
An alternative magnetic field (AMF)-induced electrospun fibrous thermoresponsive composite actuator showing penetrable remote-control ability with fast response is shown here for the first time. The built-in heater of magnetothermal Fe3O4 nanoparticles in the actuator and the porous structure of the fibrous layer contribute to a fast actuation with a curvature of 0.4 mm−1 in 2 s. The higher loading amount of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles and higher magnetic field strength result in a faster actuation. Interestingly, the composite actuator showed a similar actuation even when it was covered by a piece of Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film, which shows a penetrable remote-control ability.
Highlights
Polymeric actuators that enable mechanical motions driven by stimulus from surroundings would have a great potential for soft robotic [1], sensor [2,3] and biomedical applications [4,5]
The thermoresponsive ones made by Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) have attracted a lot of scientists’ attention, because they possess a nature such that the trigged temperature is at 32 ◦ C, close to body temperature, which made it one of the candidates for biomedical applications [22,23]
To experimentally validate the concept that a built-in heater in the actuator can provide penetrable remote-control with fast actuation upon alternative magnetic field (AMF), magnetothermal Fe3 O4 nanoparticles were embedded into the actuator as described
Summary
Polymeric actuators that enable mechanical motions driven by stimulus from surroundings would have a great potential for soft robotic [1], sensor [2,3] and biomedical applications [4,5]. In our previous study [25,33], it was found that electrospinning is a facial technique to produce fibers [34]; it has been demonstrated that the electrospun fibrous thermoresponsive actuator can facilitate the actuation and improve the sensitivity owing to the porous structure [25,33] This prompted us to explore a new thermoresponsive actuator possessing penetrable remote-control ability with fast actuation [35]. It turns out that the bending curvature can reach 0.4 mm−1 in 2 s and that a higher loading amount of Fe3 O4 and higher magnetic strength generate higher temperature, giving rise to faster actuation This actuator can still show a stable and fast remote-control actuation, even when covered by a PTFE film upon (AMF), due to the penetrability of AMF. This electrospun fibrous mat-based AMF-induced approach may pave a new way for conducting a penetrable control remote-control and fast actuation
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