Artificial actuators have been extensively studied due to their wide range of applications from soft robotics to biomedicine. Herein we introduce an autonomous bi-enzymatic system where reversible motion is triggered by the spontaneous oxidation and reduction of glucose and oxygen, respectively. This chemo-mechanical actuation is completely autonomous and does not require any external trigger to induce self-sustained motion. The device takes advantage of the asymmetric uptake and release of ions on the anisotropic surface of a conducting polymer strip, occurring during the operation of the enzymes glucose oxidase and bilirubin oxidase immobilized on its surface. Both enzymes are connected via a redox polymer at each extremity of the strip, but at the opposite faces of the polymer film. The time-asymmetric consumption of both fuels by the enzymatic reactions produces a double break of symmetry of the film, leading to autonomous actuation. An additional break of symmetry, introduced by the irreversible overoxidation of one extremity of the polymer film, leads to a crawling-type motion of the free- standing polymer film. These reactions occur in a virtually unlimited con- tinuous loop, causing long-term autonomous actuation of the device

Bi-enzymatic chemo-mechanical feedback loop for continuous self-sustained actuation of conducting polymers / S. Arnaboldi, G. Salinas, S. Bichon, S. Gounel, N. Mano, A. Kuhn. - In: NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. - ISSN 2041-1723. - 14:1(2023), pp. 6390.1-6390.9. [10.1038/s41467-023-42153-1]

Bi-enzymatic chemo-mechanical feedback loop for continuous self-sustained actuation of conducting polymers

S. Arnaboldi
;
2023

Abstract

Artificial actuators have been extensively studied due to their wide range of applications from soft robotics to biomedicine. Herein we introduce an autonomous bi-enzymatic system where reversible motion is triggered by the spontaneous oxidation and reduction of glucose and oxygen, respectively. This chemo-mechanical actuation is completely autonomous and does not require any external trigger to induce self-sustained motion. The device takes advantage of the asymmetric uptake and release of ions on the anisotropic surface of a conducting polymer strip, occurring during the operation of the enzymes glucose oxidase and bilirubin oxidase immobilized on its surface. Both enzymes are connected via a redox polymer at each extremity of the strip, but at the opposite faces of the polymer film. The time-asymmetric consumption of both fuels by the enzymatic reactions produces a double break of symmetry of the film, leading to autonomous actuation. An additional break of symmetry, introduced by the irreversible overoxidation of one extremity of the polymer film, leads to a crawling-type motion of the free- standing polymer film. These reactions occur in a virtually unlimited con- tinuous loop, causing long-term autonomous actuation of the device
Settore CHIM/01 - Chimica Analitica
   Electrochemically induced Asymmetry: from materials to molecules and back
   ELECTRA
   European Commission
   Horizon 2020 Framework Programme
   741251
2023
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/1030291
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