Skin-inspired hydrogel-elastomer hybrids with robust interfaces and functional microstructures.
Skin-inspired hydrogel-elastomer hybrids with robust interfaces and functional microstructures.
复制标题
DOI：
10.1038/ncomms12028
复制
发表时间：
2016-06-27
影响因子：
16.6
通讯作者：
Zhao X
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Yuk H;Zhang T;Parada GA;Liu X;Zhao X
受哺乳动物皮肤的启发，融合了弹性体和水凝胶优点的软杂交材料在不同领域有潜在的应用，包括可拉伸和生物集成电子、微流体、组织工程、软机器人和生物医学设备。然而，现有的水凝胶-弹性体杂化材料存在界面结合弱、鲁棒性低以及难以对微观结构进行图像化等局限性。在这里，我们报告了一种简单而通用的方法，将水凝胶和弹性体组装成具有极其坚固界面（界面韧性超过1,000 Jm−2）和功能微结构（如微流体通道和电路）的混合体。所提出的方法一般适用于各种类型的坚韧水凝胶和各种常用弹性体，包括聚二甲基硅氧烷Sylgard 184、聚氨酯、乳胶、VHB和Ecoflex。我们进一步展示了坚固的微结构水凝胶-弹性体混合物的应用，包括抗脱水水凝胶-弹性体混合物，可拉伸和反应性水凝胶-弹性体微流体，以及弹性体图案的可拉伸水凝胶电路板。将水凝胶和弹性体结合在一起的软混合材料可用于可拉伸电子和软机器人等应用，但通常存在缺点。在这里，赵和他的同事展示了一种简单的方法来组装具有坚固界面和功能微结构的水凝胶/弹性体杂合体。
Inspired by mammalian skins, soft hybrids integrating the merits of elastomers and hydrogels have potential applications in diverse areas including stretchable and bio-integrated electronics, microfluidics, tissue engineering, soft robotics and biomedical devices. However, existing hydrogel–elastomer hybrids have limitations such as weak interfacial bonding, low robustness and difficulties in patterning microstructures. Here, we report a simple yet versatile method to assemble hydrogels and elastomers into hybrids with extremely robust interfaces (interfacial toughness over 1,000 Jm−2) and functional microstructures such as microfluidic channels and electrical circuits. The proposed method is generally applicable to various types of tough hydrogels and diverse commonly used elastomers including polydimethylsiloxane Sylgard 184, polyurethane, latex, VHB and Ecoflex. We further demonstrate applications enabled by the robust and microstructured hydrogel–elastomer hybrids including anti-dehydration hydrogel–elastomer hybrids, stretchable and reactive hydrogel–elastomer microfluidics, and stretchable hydrogel circuit boards patterned on elastomer. Soft hybrids that integrate hydrogels and elastomers can be used in applications, such as stretchable electronics and soft robotics, but usually have shortcomings. Here, Zhao and co-workers show a simple method of assembling hydrogel/elastomer hybrids with robust interfaces and functional microstructures.