Solvent-triggered shape change in gradient-based 4D printed bilayers: case study on semi-crystalline polymer networks

Abstract

We propose an approach to 4D print solvent-triggered, gradient-based bilayers made of semi-crystalline crosslinked polymer networks. Out-of-plane bending is obtained after immersion in the solvent, exploiting the different swelling degrees of the layers resulting from crosslinking gradients. Lastly, a beam model of the shape transformation is applied and experimentally validated.

This work was funded by the European Union ERC CoDe4Bio Grant ID 101039467 under the funding programme Horizon Europe