Synthesis of conducting asymmetric hydrogel particles showing autonomous motion.

Srinivasan, A; Roche, J; Ravaine, V; Kuhn, A · Soft Matter · 2015

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

In the present work, we introduce a new approach for the synthesis of asymmetric particles made from electrically conducting polyaniline-alginate hydrogels by using bipolar electrochemistry. Such an intrinsic break of symmetry allows the soft beads to exhibit tunable motion at the air/water interface when loaded with ethanol due to controllable directed release of the solvent.