Abstract
A printable hybrid hydrogel is fabricated by embedding poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) microparticles within a water-rich silica-alumina(Si/Al)-based gel matrix. The hybrid gel holds water content of up to 70 wt%, due to its unique Si/Al matrix. The hybrid hydrogel can respond to both heat and electrical stimuli, and can be directly printed layer-by-layer using a commercial 3-dimensional printer, without requiring any curing. The hybrid ink is printed onto a transparent, flexible conductive electrode composed of silver nanoparticles and sustains bending angles of up to 180°, which enables patterning of various flexible devices such as smart windows and a 3D optical waveguide valve.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 1705365 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Advanced Functional Materials |
| Volume | 28 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| Early online date | 8 Jan 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 28 Feb 2018 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Funding
The work was supported by the National Research Foundation, the Prime Minister's Office, and Singapore, under its Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) program.
Keywords
- 3D printing
- hydrogels
- PNIPAm
- smart windows
- thermochromics