4.7 Article

Visible light responsive soft actuator based on functional anthracene dye

Journal

EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
Volume 171, Issue -, Pages -

Publisher

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2022.111176

Keywords

Soft actuators; Anthracene; Visible light; Photodimerization; Soft microgripper

Funding

  1. Department of Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB) [SRG/2019/001628]
  2. Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) [CSIR-MLP-2006]
  3. CSIR-CSIO [OLP-247]

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This paper introduces a new type of light-responsive soft actuator, which utilizes a supramolecular strategy for the synthesis of a functionalized anthracene dye, and the dye is mixed with a PVA matrix to achieve blue light responsiveness. The bending angle deformation of this actuator is significantly greater than any previously reported anthracene-based visible light-responsive soft actuators.
Light-responsive soft actuators are highly demanded due to their increasing applications in soft robotics and biomimetic devices. However, for light-driven soft actuators, it is challenging to eliminate their reliance on UV light as well as it is required to address the issue of poor mechanical strength. Here, a supramolecular strategy is used for the synthesis of a functionalized anthracene dye which absorbs light in the visible region due to red-shift in the absorption band. This photoresponsive functionalized anthracene dye, mixed in the PVA matrix, has been used as a soft actuator acting as a microgripper to grasp, pick up, and transport cargo in response to the blue light. As a new finding, a two-fold increase in the bending angle deformation was achieved which is significantly greater than any other previously reported anthracene-based visible light-responsive soft actuator. This work broadens the horizon of the natural light-responsive soft actuators which may find applications in soft robotics, biomimetic grippers, surgical instruments, etc.

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