Highly reversible and multi-stage cantilever actuation driven by polyelectrolyte brushes

Feng Zhou; Wenmiao Shu; Mark E Welland; Wilhelm T S Huck

doi:10.1021/ja060649p

Highly reversible and multi-stage cantilever actuation driven by polyelectrolyte brushes

J Am Chem Soc. 2006 Apr 26;128(16):5326-7. doi: 10.1021/ja060649p.

Authors

Feng Zhou¹, Wenmiao Shu, Mark E Welland, Wilhelm T S Huck

Affiliation

¹ The Nanoscience Centre, University of Cambridge, UK.

PMID: 16620088
DOI: 10.1021/ja060649p

Abstract

Microcantilever bending can be reversibly driven by conformational changes of phosphate containing polyelectrolyte brushes when exposed to different pH or salt solutions. The deflection of the cantilevers allows a detailed analysis of the properties of polymer brushes, while these systems are also a first step toward polymer-based nanoactuators.