{"title":"On-demand photo-controlled motion enabled by solvent-driven mesogen alignment switch.","authors":"Pingping Wu, Rongwei Kou, Shuai Huang, Hongyu Li, Yuanyuan Shang, Yuzhen Zhao, Junchao Liu","doi":"10.1039/d5lc00045a","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Azobenzene mesogen, as a typical photo-responsive material, has potential possibility in the field of soft robots based on its <i>trans</i>-<i>cis</i> isomerization. The alignment of the azobenzene mesogen in a polymer network has a decisive impact on the photo-actuation behavior of the membrane. However, the alignment of mesogens is difficult to change after being determined, which limits the diversity of actuation modes. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a facile solvent treatment approach to reversibly change the alignment of mesogens in the polymer network. The as-prepared membrane demonstrates reversible photo-actuation behavior under UV-vis irradiation based on the strong penetration of the solvent into the polymer network, leading to disruption of the original ordered alignment of the mesogen. Promising application of a photo-driven membrane floating and sinking in the liquid phase is demonstrated. The results of this study are of great significance for the design and fabrication of a novel-type azobenzene actuator in the liquid phase.</p>","PeriodicalId":85,"journal":{"name":"Lab on a Chip","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Lab on a Chip","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5lc00045a","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BIOCHEMICAL RESEARCH METHODS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Azobenzene mesogen, as a typical photo-responsive material, has potential possibility in the field of soft robots based on its trans-cis isomerization. The alignment of the azobenzene mesogen in a polymer network has a decisive impact on the photo-actuation behavior of the membrane. However, the alignment of mesogens is difficult to change after being determined, which limits the diversity of actuation modes. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a facile solvent treatment approach to reversibly change the alignment of mesogens in the polymer network. The as-prepared membrane demonstrates reversible photo-actuation behavior under UV-vis irradiation based on the strong penetration of the solvent into the polymer network, leading to disruption of the original ordered alignment of the mesogen. Promising application of a photo-driven membrane floating and sinking in the liquid phase is demonstrated. The results of this study are of great significance for the design and fabrication of a novel-type azobenzene actuator in the liquid phase.
期刊介绍：
Lab on a Chip is the premiere journal that publishes cutting-edge research in the field of miniaturization. By their very nature, microfluidic/nanofluidic/miniaturized systems are at the intersection of disciplines, spanning fundamental research to high-end application, which is reflected by the broad readership of the journal. Lab on a Chip publishes two types of papers on original research: full-length research papers and communications. Papers should demonstrate innovations, which can come from technical advancements or applications addressing pressing needs in globally important areas. The journal also publishes Comments, Reviews, and Perspectives.
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