Self-oscillating gel as novel biomimetic materials

Stimuli-responsive polymers and their application to biomaterials have been widely studied. On the other hand, as a novel biomimetic polymer, we have been studying the polymer with an autonomous self-oscillating function by utilizing oscillating chemical reactions. So far, we succeeded in developing a novel self-oscillating polymer and gels by utilizing the oscillating reaction, called the Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction, which is recognized as a chemical model for understanding several autonomous phenomena in biological systems. The self-oscillating polymer is composed of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) network in which the catalyst for the BZ reaction is covalently immobilized. Under the coexistence of the reactants, the polymer undergoes spontaneous cyclic soluble–insoluble changes or swelling–deswelling changes (in the case of gel) without any on–off switching of external stimuli. In this paper, our recent studies on the self-oscillating polymer gels and the design of functional material systems using the polymer are summarized.

Graphical abstractWe have developed novel biomimetic gel with autonomous self-oscillating function by utilizing oscillating reaction. The gel undergoes spontaneous cyclic swelling–deswelling changes without any on–off switching of external stimuli.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide