Programmable shape morphing of composite hydrogels with tunable swelling and deswelling behaviors

Temperature-responsive hydrogels incorporated with photothermal materials can function in an aqueous medium is of great interest due to non-contact control by external heat and light stimuli. To date, however, the practical applications of this intelligent system have been largely impeded by the assembly of multiple material systems. Here, we take advantage of tunable swelling and deswelling behaviors of the composite hydrogels by the addition of the graphene oxide (GO) that induces changes in their internal structures. Next, we develop the single-sheet hydrogel actuators with GO-hydrogel patterns within the hydrogel matrix, to reach programmable shape deformation through temperature and light actuation. We anticipate this approach to program shape morphing without changing material composition will open a new path for promising applications of composite hydrogels in fields of targeted drug delivery and autonomous soft robotic.