New research claims to push the limits of fundamental chemistry

Researchers are believed to have developed a new type of material from a polymer which acts similarly to human muscles.

Stimuli-responsive hydrogels are a class of soft materials that are able to change their mechanical properties when certain external triggers are applied.

Researchers from Jonathan Barnes’ lab have developed a new type of artificial molecular muscle from a polymer that is able to change color and contract when exposed to blue light.

Barnes began working with hydrogels because he wanted to develop a material that could change shape and size just like our muscles do when they expand and contract. Barnes recalled: "A lot of people said we would never get the amount of contraction we were hoping for…but it actually worked better than we ever imagined."

This research built on a study previously published in the journal, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, which Barnes was involved in. The more recent research focused on developing soft, biocompatible materials that could sustain heavy loads so in the future these materials could be suitable for applications such as prosthetics or transplantable organs.

Faheem Amir, lead author on the paper and a postdoctoral researcher in Barnes' lab said: "Cells within living systems face a 3D environment, yet most of the studies that are done on cells are done on 2D materials." Therefore, this research addresses a current technology gap. These hydrogels provide the opportunity to bring cells into a 3D system and identify how they behave under different conditions.

Additional research has also been conducted to improve the speed of the reaction and method of activation. This is because previously hydrogels had to be submersed into a chemical reducing solution, however, this new material is able to respond to visible light by using a photocatalyst in the hydrogel network.

Barnes’ lab has partnered with the Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) in order to obtain the relevant materials. Barnes concluded: "We took this idea that no one thought would work to the point where we're actually showing biomedical relevance with these materials. This is pushing way beyond fundamental chemistry, and even beyond Washington University, to build collaborations all around the country and even the world.”

The results of this hydrogel research offer a wide range of opportunities for future medical applications all around the world.