Qianwei Liu, Xinhong Xiong, Yuanlai Fang, Jiaxi Cui
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Inspired by the actin-myosin-mediated growth mechanisms in skeletal muscle, cyclic crystallization is employed to induce hydrogel self-growth. Using polyacrylamide-sodium acetate (PAM-NaAc) hydrogel as a model system, the crystallization of NaAc triggers the stretching and subsequent fracture of polymer chains, generating mechanoradicals at strain-concentrated regions. These reactive species facilitate the incorporation of polymerizable compounds (monomers and crosslinkers). Specifically, localized polymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) monomers occurs at fracture sites, leading to covalent network integration and achieving a 51.5-fold Young's modulus enhancement (from 0.024 to 1.24 MPa over 50 crystallization cycles). This crystallization-induced self-growth mechanism enables programmable topology engineering in soft matter systems, with implications for adaptive biomedical implants and fatigue-resistant soft robots.
期刊介绍：
Small serves as an exceptional platform for both experimental and theoretical studies in fundamental and applied interdisciplinary research at the nano- and microscale. The journal offers a compelling mix of peer-reviewed Research Articles, Reviews, Perspectives, and Comments.
With a remarkable 2022 Journal Impact Factor of 13.3 (Journal Citation Reports from Clarivate Analytics, 2023), Small remains among the top multidisciplinary journals, covering a wide range of topics at the interface of materials science, chemistry, physics, engineering, medicine, and biology.
Small's readership includes biochemists, biologists, biomedical scientists, chemists, engineers, information technologists, materials scientists, physicists, and theoreticians alike.
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