Light‐activated 3D printed fish‐like actuator

Abstract

AbstractHydrogel‐based actuators are innovative materials that exhibit responsive and dynamic behavior in response to external stimuli, making them promising candidates for a wide range of applications in fields such as soft robotics. We employ 3D printing to create layered rectangles, using a passive ink composed of gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) and an active ink consisting of GelMA and poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM). Our aim is to assess and compare the bending capabilities of these structures based on their layer arrangements in a buffer above the lower critical solution temperature. Therefore, an asymmetric rectangular structure is selected as the shape‐changing component in the tail of a 3D printed fish‐shaped hydrogel actuator. We show that gold nanostars integrated into the actuators serve as photothermal elements, enabling the fish tail to repeatedly bend when near infrared light is turned on and off. Our effort illustrates the potential of combining 3D printing, responsive hydrogels and photothermal elements with near infrared light towards soft robotic applications. This combination yields actuators capable of shape‐shifting without requiring localized light or transitioning between environments with varying temperatures.