No Arabic abstract
Shape morphing magnetic soft materials, composed of magnetic particles in a soft polymer matrix, can transform shapes reversibly, remotely, and rapidly, finding diverse applications in actuators, soft robotics, and biomedical devices. To achieve on-demand and sophisticated shape morphing, the manufacturing of structures with complex geometry and magnetization distribution is highly desired. Here, we report a magnetic dynamic polymer composite composed of hard-magnetic microparticles in a dynamic polymer network with thermal-responsive reversible linkages, which permit functionalities including targeted welding, magnetization reprogramming, and structural reconfiguration. These functions not only provide highly desirable structural and material programmability and reprogrammability but also enable the manufacturing of structures with complex geometry and magnetization distribution. The targeted welding is exploited for modular assembling of fundamental building modules with specific logics for complex actuation. The magnetization reprogramming enables altering the morphing mode of the manufactured structures. The shape reconfiguration under magnetic actuation is coupled with network plasticity to remotely transform two-dimensional tessellations into complex three-dimensional architectures, providing a new strategy of manufacturing functional soft architected materials such as three-dimensional kirigami. We anticipate that the reported magnetic dynamic polymer provides a new paradigm for the design and manufacturing of future multifunctional assemblies and reconfigurable morphing architectures and devices.
We describe a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of shape-morphing structures assembled by actuating composite (Janus) fibers, taking into account multiple relevant factors affecting shape transformations, such as strain rate, composition, and geometry of the structures. Starting with simple bending experiments, we demonstrate the ways to attain multiple out-of-plane shapes of closed rings and square frames. Through combining theory and simulation, we examine how the mechanical properties of Janus fibers affect shape transitions. This allows us to control shape changes and to attain target 3D shapes by precise tuning of the material properties and geometry of the fibers. Our results open new perspectives of design of advanced mechanical metamaterials capable to create elaborate structures through sophisticated actuation modes.
Self-assembling, semi-flexible polymers are ubiquitous in biology and technology. However, there remain conflicting accounts of the equilibrium kinetics for such an important system. Here, by focusing on a dynamical description of a minimal model in an overdamped environment, I identify the correct kinetic scheme that describes the system at equilibrium in the limits of high bonding energy and dilute concentration.
We present a simple reaction kinetics model to describe the polymer synthesis used by Lusignan et al. (PRE, 60, 5657, 1999) to produce randomly branched polymers in the vulcanization class. Numerical solution of the rate equations gives probabilities for different connections in the final product, which we use to generate a numerical ensemble of representative molecules. All structural quantities probed by Lusignan et al. are in quantitative agreement with our results for the entire range of molecular weights considered. However, with detailed topological information available in our calculations, our estimate of the `rheologically relevant linear segment length is smaller than that estimated by them. We use a numerical method based on tube model of polymer melts to calculate the rheological properties of such molecules. Results are in good agreement with experiment, except that in the case of the largest molecular weight samples our estimate of the zero-shear viscosity is significantly lower than the experimental findings. Using acid concentration as an indicator for closeness to the gelation transition, we show that the high-molecular-weight polymers considered are at the limit of mean-field behavior - which possibly is the reason for this disagreement. For a truly mean-field gelation class of model polymers, we numerically calculate the rheological properties for a range of segment lengths. Our calculations show that the tube theory with dynamical dilation predicts that, very close to the gelation limit, contribution to viscosity for this class of polymers is dominated by the contribution from constraint-release Rouse motion and the final viscosity exponent approaches Rouse-like value.
We present modular and optimal architectures for implementing arbitrary discrete unitary transformations on light. These architectures are based on systematically combining smaller M-mode linear optical interferometers together to implement a larger N-mode transformation. Thus this work enables the implementation of large linear optical transformations using smaller modules that act on the spatial or the internal degrees of freedom of light such as polarization, time or orbital angular momentum. The architectures lead to a rectangular gate structure, which is optimal in the sense that realizing arbitrary transformations on these architectures needs a minimal number of optical elements and minimal circuit depth. Moreover, the rectangular structure ensures that each the different optical modes incur balanced optical losses, so the architectures promise substantially enhanced process fidelities as compared to existing schemes.
Filamentous bacteriophages such as fd-like viruses are monodisperse rod-like colloids that have well defined properties: diameter, length, rigidity, charge and chirality. Engineering those viruses leads to a library of colloidal rods which can be used as building blocks for reconfigurable and hierarchical self-assembly. Their condensation in aqueous solution th{with additive polymers which act as depletants to induce} attraction between the rods leads to a myriad of fluid-like micronic structures ranging from isotropic/nematic droplets, colloid membranes, achiral membrane seeds, twisted ribbons, $pi$-wall, pores, colloidal skyrmions, Mobius anchors, scallop membranes to membrane rafts. Those structures and the way they shape shift not only shed light on the role of entropy, chiral frustration and topology in soft matter but it also mimics many structures encountered in different fields of science. On one hand, filamentous phages being an experimental realization of colloidal hard rods, their condensation mediated by depletion interactions constitutes a blueprint for self-assembly of rod-like particles and provides fundamental foundation for bio- or material oriented applications. On the other hand, the chiral properties of the viruses restrict the generalities of some results but vastly broaden the self-assembly possibilities.