Work

Supramolecular modular assembly of polymer brush-grafted responsive hydrogels into biomimetic soft actuators

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Biomimetic soft actuators, featuring excellent deformability and self-adaptability, have attracted considerable interdisciplinary research interest in smart materials and bionic engineering. Fabrication strategies for such actuators include patterning, 3D printing, and origami/kirigami engineering to achieve precise spatiotemporal regulation of responsive materials and structures. Herein, we propose a modular assembly strategy for the precise integration of functional components into hydrogel actuators mimicking spiders- and water-striders, driven by magnetic or electric fields on water surfaces. Robust and adjustable interfacial adhesion is achieved through macroscopic host-guest recognition between polymer brushes grafted from responsive hydrogel surfaces, in which β-cyclodextrin or adamantane moieties are copolymerized into the brushes to provide tunable supramolecular interactions. The flexible polymer brushes facilitate chain interdigitation, entanglement, and multi-valent host-guest interactions, leading to strong and stable interfacial adhesion that can be tailored by adjusting brush length and the density of functional groups. This supramolecular assembly approach allows hydrogel modules to be reversibly disassembled and reassembled into functional actuators capable of crawling and swimming under magnetic or electric fields. This work offers a versatile supramolecular assembly route for constructing smart actuators and flexible robots, and opens up new perspectives for applications in biomedicine, precision manipulation, and related fields.

Source: Supramolecular Materials

DOI: 10.1016/j.supmat.2026.100146