A flap-type hydrogel actuator with fast responses to temperature

Abstract

A novel temperature-sensitive hydrogel with fast deswelling and swelling rates was prepared from an N-isopropylacrylamide monomer mixture with poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) and its lightly crosslinked counterpart (so-called polyvinyl-polypyrrolidone, PVPP). The PVP worked as a porogen for the polymerization-induced phase separation of the hydrogel while the PVPP microgels were used as a pore-structure modifier. The hydrogel, in the form of a layer, was laminated with an acrylic resin layer to make a temperature-sensitive flap which can work as a bimetallic-like actuator with fast responses. Owing to the different deswelling/swelling ratios of the two layers, the smart flap bent in opposite directions in water at different temperatures. The switching temperature, at which the flap changed its bending direction, was adjusted by applying different ratios of PVP/PVPP in the hydrogel precursors. Dynamic results show that the flap with a hydrogel layer modified by PVP/PVPP required only several seconds to bend to its equilibrium states in both directions. No obvious performance loss was found after numerous heating?cooling cycles and the processes of drying and recovery.