Tahir Ibrahim, Ahmed Ejaz, Karothu Durga Prasad, Fsehaye Filmon, Mahmoud Halabi Jad, Naumov Panče
Center for Smart Engineering Materials, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi 129188, United Arab Emirates.
Smart Materials Lab, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi 129188, United Arab Emirates.
J Am Chem Soc. 2024 Nov 6;146(44):30174-30182. doi: 10.1021/jacs.4c08320. Epub 2024 Oct 11.
In the field of materials science, dynamic molecular crystals have attracted significant attention as a novel class of energy-transducing materials. However, their development into becoming fully functional actuators remains somewhat limited. This study focuses on one family of dynamic crystalline materials and delves into exploring the efficiency of conversion of light energy to mechanical work. A simple setup is designed to determine a set of performance indices of anthracene-based crystals as an exemplary class of dynamic molecular crystals. The ability of these crystals to reversibly bend due to dimerization is realistically assessed from the perspective of the envisaged soft robotics applications, where wireless photomechanical grippers manipulate and assemble microscopic objects driven and controlled by light instead of lines and motors. The approach described here not only guides the quantification of responsive molecular crystals' actuation potential but also aims to attract an interdisciplinary interest to further develop this class of materials into controllable all-organic actuating elements to be used in microrobotics for engineering or biomedicine.
在材料科学领域，动态分子晶体作为一类新型的能量转换材料已引起了广泛关注。然而，它们发展成为功能完备的致动器仍受到一定限制。本研究聚焦于一类动态晶体材料，深入探索光能向机械功的转换效率。设计了一个简单装置来确定基于蒽的晶体作为动态分子晶体的一个示例类别的一组性能指标。从设想的软机器人应用角度，切实评估了这些晶体因二聚化而可逆弯曲的能力，在该应用中，无线光机械夹具操纵和组装由光而非线路和电机驱动与控制的微观物体。这里描述的方法不仅指导了响应性分子晶体致动潜力的量化，还旨在吸引跨学科兴趣，以进一步将这类材料开发成可控的全有机致动元件，用于工程或生物医学的微型机器人技术。
