PMID- 36517538
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20221216
LR  - 20230115
IS  - 2045-2322 (Electronic)
IS  - 2045-2322 (Linking)
VI  - 12
IP  - 1
DP  - 2022 Dec 14
TI  - Dip-coating electromechanically active polymer actuators with SIBS from 
      midblock-selective solvents to achieve full encapsulation for biomedical 
      applications.
PG  - 21589
LID - 10.1038/s41598-022-26056-7 [doi]
LID - 21589
AB  - Soft and compliant ionic electromechanically active polymer actuators (IEAPs) are 
      a promising class of smart materials for biomedical and soft robotics 
      applications. These materials change their shape in response to external stimuli 
      like the electrical signal. This shape-change results solely from the ion flux 
      inside the composite and hence the material can be miniaturized below the 
      centimeter and millimeter levels-something that still poses a challenge for many 
      other conventional actuation mechanisms in soft robotics (e.g., pneumatic, 
      hydraulic, or tendon-based systems). However, the components used to prepare 
      IEAPs are typically not safe for the biological environment, nor is the 
      environment safe for the actuator. Safety concerns and unreliable operation in 
      foreign liquid environments have been some of the main obstacles for the 
      widespread adoption of IEAPs in many areas, e.g., in biomedical applications. 
      Here we show a novel approach to fully encapsulate IEAP actuators with the 
      biocompatible block copolymer SIBS 
      (poly(styrene-block-isobutylene-block-styrene)) dissolved in block-selective 
      solvents. Reduction in the bending amplitude due to the added passive layers, a 
      common negative side-effect of encapsulating IEAPs, was not observed in this 
      work. In conclusion, the encapsulated actuator is steered through a tortuous 
      vasculature mock-up filled with a viscous buffer solution mimicking biological 
      fluids.
CI  - (c) 2022. The Author(s).
FAU - Rinne, Pille
AU  - Rinne P
AD  - Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, 50411, Tartu, Estonia. 
      pille.rinne@eesti.ee.
FAU - Poldsalu, Inga
AU  - Poldsalu I
AD  - Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, 50411, Tartu, Estonia.
FAU - Zadin, Veronika
AU  - Zadin V
AD  - Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, 50411, Tartu, Estonia.
FAU - Johanson, Urmas
AU  - Johanson U
AD  - Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, 50411, Tartu, Estonia.
FAU - Tamm, Tarmo
AU  - Tamm T
AD  - Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, 50411, Tartu, Estonia.
FAU - Pohako-Esko, Kaija
AU  - Pohako-Esko K
AD  - Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, 50411, Tartu, Estonia.
FAU - Punning, Andres
AU  - Punning A
AD  - Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, 50411, Tartu, Estonia.
FAU - van den Ende, Daan
AU  - van den Ende D
AD  - Smart Interfaces & Modules Department, Philips Research, Eindhoven, The 
      Netherlands.
FAU - Aabloo, Alvo
AU  - Aabloo A
AD  - Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, 50411, Tartu, Estonia.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
DEP - 20221214
PL  - England
TA  - Sci Rep
JT  - Scientific reports
JID - 101563288
RN  - 0 (Polymers)
RN  - 0 (Solvents)
RN  - 0 (Smart Materials)
RN  - 0 (Ions)
RN  - 0 (Styrenes)
SB  - IM
MH  - Polymers
MH  - Solvents
MH  - *Robotics
MH  - *Smart Materials
MH  - Ions
MH  - Styrenes
PMC - PMC9751283
COIS- The authors declare no competing interests.
EDAT- 2022/12/15 06:00
MHDA- 2022/12/17 06:00
PMCR- 2022/12/14
CRDT- 2022/12/14 23:22
PHST- 2022/10/16 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2022/12/08 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2022/12/14 23:22 [entrez]
PHST- 2022/12/15 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2022/12/17 06:00 [medline]
PHST- 2022/12/14 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - 10.1038/s41598-022-26056-7 [pii]
AID - 26056 [pii]
AID - 10.1038/s41598-022-26056-7 [doi]
PST - epublish
SO  - Sci Rep. 2022 Dec 14;12(1):21589. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-26056-7.