Design of novel biomimetic polymer gels with self-oscillating function

We report a novel biomimetic gel that undergoes autonomous swelling-deswelling oscillations without on-off switching of external stimuli, similar to heartbeat. The mechanical oscillation of gel was produced via oscillating chemical reaction, called the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction. We have prepared an ionic gel consisting of the cross-linked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) chain to which ruthenium tris(2,2′-bipyridine), a catalyst for the BZ reaction, was covalently bonded. The BZ reaction occurring within the gel matrix generates periodic redox changes of the catalyst moiety. This chemical oscillation is converted into the mechanical oscillation of the polymer network. As a result, the gel exhibits a periodical swelling-deswelling change. The self-oscillating behaviors of the gel were investigated in detail. When the gel size is smaller than the chemical wavelength, the redox change occurs homogeneously in the gel. In this case, the volume change is isotropic and the mechanical oscillation synchronizes with chemical oscillation without a phase difference. The period and amplitude can be controlled by changing the outer substrate concentrations. In the case of rectangular shape, chemical wave propagates along the length of the gel. The wavelength and velocity depend on the reaction rate of autocatalytic process as well as the diffusivity of the activator. The dynamic behavior that locally shrunken (or swollen) parts propagate was observed, similar to the peristaltic motion of worms. By using lithography technique, a ciliary motion actuator made of the gel has been demonstrated. These self-oscillating gels may be useful in a number of important applications to intelligent biomaterials such as pulse generator or chemical pacemaker, auto-mobile actuators or micropumps with peristaltic motion, device for signal transmission, etc.