3D-Printed Ultratough Hydrogel Structures with Titin-like Domains.
Titin is composed of repeated modular domains which unfold and dissipate energy upon loading. Here we employed such molecular-level paradigm to fabricate macroscopic ultratough hydrogel structures with titin-like domains, enabled by three-dimensional printing with multiple nozzles. Under stretch, the relatively thin and weak gel fibers in the printed structures break first and the hidden lengths postpone the failure of the main structures, mimicking the toughening principle in titin. These titin-like folded domains have been incorporated into a synthetic spider-web, which shows significantly enhanced extensibility and toughness. This work provides a new avenue of topological design for materials/structures with desired properties.
Key Laboratory of Soft Machines and Smart Devices of Zhejiang Province, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310027, China.
Fengbo
F
Zhu
The State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power Transmission and Control Systems, Key Laboratory of 3D Printing Process and Equipment of Zhejiang Province, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310028, China.
Libo
L
Cheng
MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University , Hangzhou, 310027, China.
Zhi Jian
ZJ
Wang
Key Laboratory of Soft Machines and Smart Devices of Zhejiang Province, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310027, China.|Department of Aerospace Engineering, Iowa State University , Ames, Iowa 50010, United States.|Global Station for Soft Matter, Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education, Hokkaido University , Sapporo 060-0810, Japan.
Wei
W
Hong
MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University , Hangzhou, 310027, China.
Zi Liang
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1824-9563
ZL
Wu
The State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power Transmission and Control Systems, Key Laboratory of 3D Printing Process and Equipment of Zhejiang Province, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310028, China.
Jun
J
Yin
Key Laboratory of Soft Machines and Smart Devices of Zhejiang Province, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310027, China.
Jin
J
Qian
MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University , Hangzhou, 310027, China.
Qiang
Q
Zheng
3D printing; biomimetic structure; folded domain; hidden length; titin; tough hydrogel