Unusual Actuation of Precisely Designable Two-Layer Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Gel Films Composited with Asymmetrically Aligned Liquid Crystalline Nanosheets AITranslate

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DOI：https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.2c00103

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Hierarchical structures comprising anisotropic units are the keys to realize functional materials that mimic extraordinary functions of natural systems. In this study, we established the synthesis of composite poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) gel films in which liquid crystalline (LC) inorganic nanosheets are organized into asymmetric hierarchical structures and two-layer structures with gradients. Small-angle X-ray scattering and crossed-polarizer observations confirmed the alignment of the nanosheets along the gravity and electric field applied during the synthesis. Macroscopic two-layer structures were formed in the gel films by utilizing isotropic/LC phase separation under gravity in a precisely controlled manner. By configuring the electrode arrangement and optimizing the duration and intensity of electric field application, two-layer gel films with various anisotropic and asymmetric structures such as saddle-like ones were obtained. The anisotropic two-layer structure composite gels exhibited large and fast three-dimensional deformations triggered by temperature changes with controlled curvature and anisotropic/asymmetric deformation modes as programmed by the regulated superstructures of the embedded nanosheets.