Self-Oscillating Gel as Smart Materials
| Periodical | Advances in Science and Technology (Volume 57) |
|---|---|
| Main Theme | Biomedical Applications of Smart Materials |
| Edited by | Pietro VINCENZINI and Danilo DE ROSSI |
| Pages | 1-4 |
| DOI | 10.4028/www.scientific.net/AST.57.1 |
| Citation | Ryo Yoshida, 2008, Advances in Science and Technology, 57, 1 |
| Online since | September, 2008 |
| Authors | Ryo Yoshida |
| Keywords | Actuator, Biomimetic Materials, Gels, Self-Oscillation |
| Price | US$ 28,- |
We have developed polymer and gels with an autonomous self-oscillating function by utilizing the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction. Under the coexistence of the substrates, the polymer undergoes spontaneous cyclic soluble-insoluble changes or swelling-deswelling changes (in the case of gel) without any on-off switching of external stimuli. By using microfabrication technique, ciliary motion actuator or self-walking gel have been demonstrated. Further, in order to realize nano-actuator, the linear polymer chain and the submicrometer-sized gel beads were prepared. By grafting the polymers or arraying the gel beads on the surface of substrates, we have attempted to design self-oscillating surface as nano-conveyer. For application to biomaterials, it is necessary to cause the self-oscillation under biological condition without using non-biorelated BZ substrates. So we attempted to introduce pH-control site and oxidant-supplying site into the polymer. By using the polymer, self-oscillation only in the existence of biorelated organic acid was actually achieved.
