3D printed superparamagnetic stimuli-responsive starfish-shaped hydrogels
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Magnetic-stimuli responsive hydrogels are quickly becoming a promising class of materials across numerous fields, including biomedical devices, soft robotic actuators, and wearable electronics. Hydrogels are commonly fabricated by conventional methods that limit the potential for complex architectures normally required for rapidly changing custom configurations. Rapid prototyping using 3D printing provides a solution for this. Previous work has shown successful extrusion 3D printing of magnetic hydrogels; however, extrusion-based printing is limited by nozzle resolution and ink viscosity. VAT photopolymerization offers a higher control over resolution and build-architecture. Liquid photo-resins with magnetic nanocomposites normally suffer from nanoparticle agglomeration due to local magnetic fields. In this work, we develop an optimised method for homogenously infusing up to 2 wt % superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) with a 10 nm diameter into a photo-resin composed of water, acrylamide and PEGDA, with improved nanoparticle homogeneity and reduced agglomeration during printing. The 3D printed starfish hydrogels exhibited high mechanical stability and robust mechanical properties with a maximum Youngs modulus of 1.8 MPa and limited shape deformation of 10% when swollen. Each individual arm of the starfish could be magnetically actuated when a remote magnetic field is applied. The starfish could grab onto a magnet with all arms when a central magnetic field was applied. Ultimately, these hydrogels retained their shape post-printing and returned to their original formation once the magnetic field had been removed. These hydrogels can be used across a wide range of applications, including soft robotics and magnetically stimulated actuators.
Date Issued
2023-04
Date Acceptance
2023-03-15
Citation
Heliyon, 2023, 9 (4), pp.1-13
ISSN
2405-8440
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Start Page
1
End Page
13
Journal / Book Title
Heliyon
Volume
9
Issue
4
Copyright Statement
© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14682
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
e14682
Date Publish Online
2023-03-28