Dunne, Aishling 
ORCID: 0000-0003-2712-0208
(2018)
Stimuli-responsive materials for microfluidic applications.
PhD thesis, Dublin City University.
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Abstract
The possibility of using photo-stimulation to perform flow control and sensing in microfluidics is very appealing as light can be applied in a non-invasive and highly precise manner. In the field of stimuli-responsive polymers, hydrogels offer a simple and effective method to fabricate three-dimensional polymeric networks whose water content can be modulated through external stimulation. By incorporating stimuliresponsive units into the gel structure, hydrogels can be actuated by external stimuli such as light, temperature and pH, among others. One of the most popular ways to achieve photo-control is through the use of photo-responsive molecules, such as spiropyrans. This thesis focuses on presenting the synthesis, characterisation and potential applications of stimuli-responsive materials based on spiropyrans, in particular as photo-controlled polymeric actuators, and photo-sensitive coatings. Chapter 1 offers a brief overview of the field of stimuli-responsive materials and photo-responsive materials in particular, and Chapter 2 discusses possible applications of such materials in microfluidic devices. Chapter 3 describes the synthesis and characterisation of photo-responsive hydrogels based on Nisopropylacrylamide- co-acrylated spiropyran-co-acrylic acid (p(NIPAAm-co-SP-co- AA)) copolymer, while in chapter 4 this material is used to produce a millimetresized bipedal hydrogel walker. When subject to light cycles, the bipedal gel produces a walking motion by taking a series of steps in a given direction. Chapter 5 focuses on spiropyran polymeric brushes as coatings in micro-capillaries and confirms their potential for metal ion binding, sensing and release. Chapters 6 focuses on the synthesis and surface functionalisation of other spiropyran derivatives and describes future work in the area of photo-responsive materials and hydrogels.
| Item Type: | Thesis (PhD) |
|---|---|
| Date of Award: | November 2018 |
| Refereed: | No |
| Supervisor(s): | Diamond, Dermot and Florea, Larisa and Morrin, Aoife |
| Subjects: | Biological Sciences > Microfluidics Physical Sciences > Chemical detectors Physical Sciences > Chemistry Physical Sciences > Photochemistry |
| DCU Faculties and Centres: | DCU Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science and Health > School of Chemical Sciences Research Initiatives and Centres > National Centre for Sensor Research (NCSR) Research Initiatives and Centres > INSIGHT Centre for Data Analytics |
| Use License: | This item is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. View License |
| Funders: | Science Foundation Ireland |
| ID Code: | 22564 |
| Deposited On: | 22 Nov 2018 11:49 by Dermot Diamond . Last Modified 12 Aug 2020 16:33 |
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Stimuli-responsive materials for microfluidic applications. (deposited 06 May 2020 16:43)
- Stimuli-responsive materials for microfluidic applications. (deposited 22 Nov 2018 11:49) [Currently Displayed]
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