High strength shape memory ionogels with controllable metastable state for high-work-density actuation

Open AccessCCS ChemistryRESEARCH ARTICLES17 Jul 2024High strength shape memory ionogels with controllable metastable state for high-work-density actuation Lie Chen, Jiaqi Chai, Longhao Zhang, Jiajia Zhou, Jin Huang and Mingjie Liu Lie Chen , Jiaqi Chai , Longhao Zhang , Jiajia Zhou , Jin Huang and Mingjie Liu Citation: CCS Chemistry. 2024;0:1–25https://doi.org/10.31635/ccschem.024.202404593 SectionsSupplemental MaterialAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail Polymer gels are promising materials for smart actuators because of their softness and stimulus diversity. However, conventional stimuli-responsive polymer gels have limited work density due to the low deliverable force when applied as actuators. Here, we propose a strategy to prepare high-work-density soft actuators base on the phase separation strengthening mechanism. By constructing a liquid-liquid phase separation intercepted by the glass transition of the polymer, we report an ultrastrong metastable ionogel (E ∼ 650 MPa, σ ∼ 24 MPa) with wide-range switchable stiffness from 104 to 108 Pa. Benefit from the excellent mechanical duality of the metastable ionogel, we design an elastic-driven actuator that features programmable actuating behaviors with a contractile force and work density up to 238 kPa and 161.5 kJ/m3, respectively, outperforming current gel actuators and even biological muscles. These nonvolatile ionogels with tunable metastable state holding great promise in advanced engineering fields such as smart constructs, soft robotics and artificial muscles where require both high mechanical strength and good formability. Download figure Download PowerPoint Previous articleNext article FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Issue AssignmentNot Yet AssignedSupporting Information Copyright & Permissions© 2024 Chinese Chemical Society Downloaded 0 times PDF downloadLoading ...