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Self-Oscillating Polymer Gels as Novel Smart Materials
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 February 2012
Abstract
As a novel biomimetic polymer gel, we have been studying polymer gels with an autonomous self-oscillating function, since firstly reported in 1996. For developing the polymer gels, we utilized oscillating chemical reaction, called the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction, which is recognized as a chemical model for understanding several autonomous phenomena in biological systems. The self-oscillating polymer gel is composed of a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) network in which the metal catalyst for the BZ reaction is covalently immobilized. Under the coexistence of the reactants, the polymer undergoes spontaneous swelling-deswelling changes (in the case of gel) or cyclic soluble-insoluble changes (in the case of an uncrosslinked polymer) without any on-off switching of external stimuli. Several kinds of functional material systems utilizing self-oscillating polymers and gels such as biomimetic actuators, mass transport surface, etc. are expected. Here recent progress on self-oscillating polymers and gels and the design of functional material systems are summarized.
- Type
- Research Article
- Information
- MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1403: Symposium V – Multifunctional Polymer-Based Materials , 2012 , mrsf11-1403-v15-01
- Copyright
- Copyright © Materials Research Society 2012