초록 |
The development of muscle-like hydrogel actuators that can convert chemical energies into large, quick, and unidirectional motions is one of the long-standing research topics in materials sciences. We have recently developed polymer networks with 'single-crystal-like' structural order, where 2D-shaped inorganic materials were employed as constituents. This 3D network of this hydrogel is composed of a stimuli-responsive polymer, so that the polarity and dynamics of the gel matrix are abruptly changed in response to external stimuli, which causes the switching of the intensity of the ‘embedded electrostatics’. Thereby, it produces quick and anisotropic deformation of the hydrogel. In this presentation, their unprecedented functions originating from anisotropic structures will be discussed. |