Four-dimensional photonic micro-actuators for microfluidics applications

Marc del Pozo, Colm Delaney, Cees W.M. Bastiaansen, Dermot Diamond, Albert P.H.J. Schenning, Larisa Florea

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

With the advent of two-photon polymerization direct laser writing (TPP-DLW) the generation of high resolution three-dimensional (3D) microstructures with arbitrary shapes has increased dramatically. However, the fabrication of stimuli-responsive photoresists, essentially creating four-dimensional (4D) microstructures, remains a significant challenge. Herein, we present a supramolecular cholesteric liquid crystalline (CLC) photonic-photoresist for the fabrication of 4D photonic micro-actuators with sub-micron resolution. These structures display structural color and shape changes which are triggered by variation of humidity and/or temperature. These results embody the advantages of merging self-ordering systems with TPP-DLW to fabricate novel dual-responsive microstructures which hold potential for the development of micro-robots or as sensing elements in microfluidic devices.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationMicroTAS 2020 - 24th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences
PublisherRoyal Society of Chemistry
Pages346-347
Number of pages2
ISBN (Electronic)9781733419017
Publication statusPublished - 4 Oct 2020
Event24th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences, MicroTAS 2020 - Virtual, Online
Duration: 4 Oct 20209 Oct 2020

Conference

Conference24th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences, MicroTAS 2020
CityVirtual, Online
Period4/10/209/10/20

Funding

This research received funding from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) in the framework of the Innovation Fund Chemistry and from the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy in the framework of the PPP allowance. The project is also supported by the European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant (project number 802929-ChemLife), Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under Grant number 12/RC/2278_P2. TPP-DLW and microscopy was carried out at the Additive Research Laboratory (AR-Lab) and the Advanced Microscopy Laboratory (AML), Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. These are SFI supported centres, part of the CRANN Institute and affiliated to the AMBER Centre.

Keywords

  • 4D photonic micro-actuators
  • Cholesteric liquid crystal networks
  • Direct laser writing
  • Dynamic structural color
  • Photonic-photoresist
  • Two-photon polymerization

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