AReversible Semicrystalline Polymeric Actuators

在目前已知的各种致动聚合物中，只有基于熔融/结晶过程的聚合物展示了一些重要性质的组合，例如在没有场和溶剂的情况下的致动可逆性以及在温度范围内的致动性，这是实际相关的。有几个这样的材料的例子，但其驱动机制的物理起源仍然难以捉摸。这阻碍了驱动装置的合理设计，例如通过对聚合物特性的定制修改。我们的项目旨在了解半晶聚合物的可逆驱动机制，并阐明交联和纠缠聚合物在负载下的热结晶与其化学和物理结构之间的关系。该项目的主要目标是：(i)研究负载下交联和非交联聚合物的热结晶；（ii）负载下纳米约束对交联和非交联聚合物热结晶的影响；（三）由活性结晶聚合物和被动层组成的模型双层驱动的研究。该项目结合了实验研究、计算机模拟和理论，在两个申请人之间建立了良好的合作关系。最终目标是为新一代活性材料的设计开辟新的视野，这些活性材料适合不同的应用，包括医学、机器人和其他应用。

Among the whole variety of actuating polymers known so far only ones based on the melting/crystallization processes demonstrate a combination of important properties such as reversibility of actuation in absence of fields and solvents and actuation in the temperature range, which is practically relevant. There are several examples of such materials, but the physical origin of their actuation mechanism still remains elusive. This hampers a rational design of the actuation for instance by tailored modification of polymer properties. Our project aims to understand mechanisms of reversible actuation of semicrystalline polymers and to elucidate the correlations between thermal crystallization of crosslinked and entangled polymers under load and their chemical as well as physical structure. The key objectives of the project are: (i) investigation of thermal crystallization of crosslinked and non-crosslinked polymers under load; (ii) investigation of nano-confinement on thermal crystallization of crosslinked and non-crosslinked polymer under load; and (iii) investigation of actuation of model-bilayers consisting of active crystalline polymers and a passive layer. The project combines experimental studies, computer simulations and theory within the well-established collaboration between the two applicants. The ultimate goal is to open new horizons for the design of a new generation of active materials tailored for different applications including medicine, robotics and others.