(July 11,
2012) Living organisms have developed sophisticated ways to
maintain stability in a changing environment, withstanding fluctuations in
temperature, pH, pressure, and the presence or absence of crucial molecules.
The integration of similar features in artificial materials, however, has
remained a challenge—until now.
Called SMARTS
(Self-regulated Mechano-chemical Adaptively Reconfigurable Tunable System),
this newly developed materials platform offers a customizable way to
autonomously turn chemical reactions on and off and reproduce the type of
dynamic self-powered feedback loops found in biological systems.
In the July 12 issue of Nature, a Harvard-led team of
engineers presented a strategy for building self-thermoregulating nanomaterials
that can, in principle, be tailored to maintain a set pH, pressure, or just
about any other desired parameter by meeting the environmental changes with a
compensatory chemical feedback response.
The advance represents a step toward more intelligent and
efficient medical implants and even dynamic buildings that could respond to the
weather for increased energy efficiency. The researchers also expect that their
methodology could have considerable potential for translation into areas such as
robotics, computing, and healthcare.
Structurally, SMARTS resembles a microscopic toothbrush,
with bristles that can stand up or lie down, making and breaking contact with a
layer containing chemical ‘nutrients’.
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