TY - JOUR A1 - Balk, Maria A1 - Behl, Marc A1 - Lendlein, Andreas T1 - Quadruple-shape hydrogels JF - Smart materials and structures N2 - The capability of directed movements by two subsequent shape changes could be implemented in shape-memory hydrogels by incorporation of two types of crystallizable side chains While in non-swollen polymer networks even more directed movements could be realized, the creation of multi-shape hydrogels is still a challenge. We hypothesize that a quadruple-shape effect in hydrogels can be realized, when a swelling capacity almost independent of temperature is generated, whereby directed movements could be enabled, which are not related to swelling. In this case, entropy elastic recovery could be realized by hydrophilic segments and the fixation of different macroscopic shapes by means of three semi-crystalline side chains generating temporary crosslinks. Monomethacrylated semi-crystalline oligomers were connected as side chains in a hydrophilic polymer network via radical copolymerization. Computer assisted modelling was utilized to design a demonstrator capable of complex shape shifts by creating a casting mold via 3D printing from polyvinyl alcohol. The demonstrator was obtained after copolymerization of polymer network forming components within the mold, which was subsequently dissolved in water. A thermally-induced quadruple-shape effect was realized after equilibrium swelling of the polymer network in water. Three directed movements were successfully obtained when the temperature was continuously increased from 5 degrees C to 90 degrees C with a recovery ratio of the original shape above 90%. Hence, a thermally-induced quadruple-shape effect as new record for hydrogels was realized. Here, the temperature range for the multi-shape effect was limited by water as swelling media (0 degrees C-100 degrees C), simultaneously distinctly separated thermal transitions were required, and the overall elasticity indispensable for successive deformations was reduced as result of partially chain segment orientation induced by swelling in water. Conclusively the challenges for penta- or hexa-shape gels are the design of systems enabling higher elastic deformability and covering a larger temperature range by switching to a different solvent. KW - shape-memory KW - hydrogels KW - semi-crystalline Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-665X/ab0e91 SN - 0964-1726 SN - 1361-665X VL - 28 IS - 5 PB - IOP Publ. Ltd. CY - Bristol ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Balk, Maria A1 - Behl, Marc A1 - Nöchel, Ulrich A1 - Lendlein, Andreas T1 - Enzymatically triggered Jack-in-the-box-like hydrogels JF - ACS applied materials & interfaces / American Chemical Society N2 - Enzymes can support the synthesis or degradation of biomacromolecules in natural processes. Here, we demonstrate that enzymes can induce a macroscopic-directed movement of microstructured hydrogels following a mechanism that we call a "Jack-in-the-box" effect. The material's design is based on the formation of internal stresses induced by a deformation load on an architectured microscale, which are kinetically frozen by the generation of polyester locking domains, similar to a Jack-in-thebox toy (i.e., a compressed spring stabilized by a closed box lid). To induce the controlled macroscopic movement, the locking domains are equipped with enzyme-specific cleavable bonds (i.e., a box with a lock and key system). As a result of enzymatic reaction, a transformed shape is achieved by the release of internal stresses. There is an increase in entropy in combination with a swelling-supported stretching of polymer chains within the microarchitectured hydrogel (i.e., the encased clown pops-up with a pre-stressed movement when the box is unlocked). This utilization of an enzyme as a physiological stimulus may offer new approaches to create interactive and enzyme-specific materials for different applications such as an optical indicator of the enzyme's presence or actuators and sensors in biotechnology and in fermentation processes. KW - enzyme KW - hydrogels KW - stimuli-sensitive materials KW - shape change KW - poly(e-caprolactone) KW - switch KW - microporous Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.1c00466 SN - 1944-8244 SN - 1944-8252 VL - 13 IS - 7 SP - 8095 EP - 8101 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington, DC ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Couturier, Jean-Philippe A1 - Sütterlin, Martin A1 - Laschewsky, André A1 - Hettrich, Cornelia A1 - Wischerhoff, Erik T1 - Responsive Inverse Opal Hydrogels for the Sensing of Macromolecules JF - Angewandte Chemie : a journal of the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker ; International edition N2 - Dual responsive inverse opal hydrogels were designed as autonomous sensor systems for (bio)macromolecules, exploiting the analyte-induced modulation of the opal's structural color. The systems that are based on oligo(ethylene glycol) macromonomers additionally incorporate comonomers with various recognition units. They combine a coil-to-globule collapse transition of the LCST type with sensitivity of the transition temperature toward molecular recognition processes. This enables the specific detection of macromolecular analytes, such as glycopolymers and proteins, by simple optical methods. While the inverse opal structure assists the effective diffusion even of large analytes into the photonic crystal, the stimulus responsiveness gives rise to strong shifts of the optical Bragg peak of more than 100nm upon analyte binding at a given temperature. The systems' design provides a versatile platform for the development of easy-to-use, fast, and low-cost sensors for pathogens. KW - hydrogels KW - photonic crystals KW - polymers KW - responsive materials KW - sensors Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201500674 SN - 1433-7851 SN - 1521-3773 VL - 54 IS - 22 SP - 6641 EP - 6644 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Heydari, Esmaeil A1 - Buller, Jens A1 - Wischerhoff, Erik A1 - Laschewsky, André A1 - Döring, Sebastian A1 - Stumpe, Joachim T1 - Label-Free biosensor based on an all-polymer DFB laser JF - Advanced optical materials KW - label-free biosensors KW - DFB lasers KW - active optical resonators KW - hydrogels KW - semiconducting polymers Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.201300454 SN - 2195-1071 VL - 2 IS - 2 SP - 137 EP - 141 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Jelken, Joachim A1 - Pandiyarajan, Chinnayan Kannan A1 - Genzer, Jan A1 - Lomadze, Nino A1 - Santer, Svetlana T1 - Fabrication of flexible hydrogel sheets featuring periodically spaced circular holes with continuously adjustable size in realtime JF - ACS applied materials & interfaces N2 - We report on the formation of stimuli-responsive structured hydrogel thin films whose pattern geometry can be adjusted on demand and tuned reversibly by varying solvent quality or by changing temperature. The hydrogel films, similar to 100 nm in thickness, were prepared by depositing layers of random copolymers comprising N-isopropylacrylamide and ultraviolet (UV)-active methacryloyloxybenzophenone units onto solid substrates. A two-beam interference pattern technique was used to cross-link the selected areas of the film; any unreacted material was extracted using ethanol after UV light-assisted cross-linking. In this way, we produced nanoholes, perfectly ordered structures with a narrow size distribution, negligible tortuosity, adjustable periodicity, and a high density. The diameter of the circular holes ranged from a few micrometers down to several tens of nanometers; the hole periodicity could be adjusted readily by changing the optical period of the UV interference pattern. The holes were reversibly closed and opened by swelling/deswelling the polymer networks in the presence of ethanol and water, respectively, at various temperatures. The reversible regulation of the hole diameter can be repeated many times within a few seconds. The hydrogel sheet with circular holes periodically arranged may also be transferred onto different substrates and be employed as tunable templates for the deposition of desired substances. KW - photosensitive polymers KW - PNIPAm KW - hydrogels KW - UV cross-linking KW - stimuli-responsive structured polymer films KW - azobenzene-containing molecules Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.8b09580 SN - 1944-8244 VL - 10 IS - 36 SP - 30844 EP - 30851 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington ER -