Stimuli-responsive composite biopolymer actuators with selective spatial deformation behavior

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 117; no. 25; pp. 14602 - 14608
• Main Authors: Wang, Yushu, Huang, Wenwen, Wang, Yu, Mu, Xuan, Ling, Shengjie, Yu, Haipeng, Chen, Wenshuai, Guo, Chengchen, Watson, Matthew C., Yu, Yingjie, Black, Lauren D., Li, Meng, Omenetto, Fiorenzo G., Li, Chunmei, Kaplan, David L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Academy of Sciences 23-06-2020
• Subjects: Actuation; Actuators; Artificial tissues; Biocompatibility; Biocompatible Materials - chemistry; Biodegradability; Biodegradable materials; Biodegradation; Biological Sciences; Biomedical materials; Biomimetic Materials - chemistry; Biomimetics; Bionics; Bionics - methods; Biopolymers; Biosensors; Cellulose; Cellulose - chemistry; Deformability; Deformation; Durability; Elastin; Elastin - chemistry; Elastin - genetics; Formability; Genetic engineering; Hydrogels; Hydrogels - chemistry; Ionic strength; Medical equipment; Molecular Conformation; Multilayers; Nanofibers; Nanofibers - chemistry; Protein Engineering; Robotics; Robotics - methods; Silk; Silk - chemistry; Silk - genetics; Stimuli; Underwater; actuation; biopolymers; stimuli responsive; bionic; reversible
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2002996117

Bioinspired actuators with stimuli-responsive and deformable properties are being pursued in fields such as artificial tissues, medical devices and diagnostics, and intelligent biosensors. These applications require that actuator systems have biocompatibility, controlled deformability, biodegradability, mechanical durability, and stable reversibility. Herein, we report a bionic actuator system consisting of stimuli-responsive genetically engineered silk–elastin-like protein (SELP) hydrogels and wood-derived cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), which respond to temperature and ionic strength underwater by ecofriendly methods. Programmed site-selective actuation can be predicted and folded into three-dimensional (3D) origami-like shapes. The reversible deformation performance of the SELP/CNF actuators was quantified, and complex spatial transformations of multilayer actuators were demonstrated, including a biomimetic flower design with selective petal movements. Such actuators consisting entirely of biocompatible and biodegradable materials will offer an option toward constructing stimuli-responsive systems for in vivo biomedicine soft robotics and bionic research.