Microfabricated Dynamic Shape-Change Hydrogel Systems

Biomimicry is gaining traction in the engineering community to create simple, elegant designs and constructions. Combining this with the microfabrication skills that the semiconductor industry has perfected, has enabled researchers to create high throughput, cost effective solutions to major challenges in the study of soft material dynamics. This thesis provides an insight into the possibilities that come with understanding the mechanics behind fast movements in the plant kingdom, and origami, to create systems that exhibit bidirectional folding using microfabrication. A thermoresponsive hydrogel sheet was fabricated, with stiffer non-swelling polymer grids embedded in it, which was the basis for its self-folding properties and behavior. In addition to this, a gut parasite inspired system was introduced, which could potentially give rise to a new type of adhesive drug delivery devices. Microfabrication skills such as photolithography were used to a large extent, to photopattern thermoresponsive hydrogels like poly (N-isopropyl acrylamide) and mucoadhesive materials like chitosan. The drug release kinetics for this model was assessed, and future steps proposed, to make this a viable adhesive system