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Progress Report

Hydrogels for Soft Machines

  1. Paul Calvert*

Article first published online: 4 DEC 2008

DOI: 10.1002/adma.200800534

Issue

Advanced Materials

Advanced Materials

Volume 21, Issue 7, pages 743–756, February 16, 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Calvert, P. (2009), Hydrogels for Soft Machines. Adv. Mater., 21: 743–756. doi: 10.1002/adma.200800534

Author Information

  1. Department of Materials and Textiles University of Massachusetts Dartmouth 285 Old Westport Rd. N. Dartmouth, MA 02747 (USA)

*Department of Materials and Textiles University of Massachusetts Dartmouth 285 Old Westport Rd. N. Dartmouth, MA 02747 (USA).

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 9 FEB 2009
  2. Article first published online: 4 DEC 2008
  3. Manuscript Revised: 17 JUL 2008
  4. Manuscript Received: 26 FEB 2008

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Keywords:

  • Artificial Muscle;
  • Cartilage;
  • Hydrogels;
  • Soft Materials

Abstract

Hydrogels have applications in surgery and drug delivery, but are never considered alongside polymers and composites as materials for mechanical design. This is because synthetic hydrogels are in general very weak. In contrast, many biological gel composites, such as cartilage, are quite strong, and function as tough, shock-absorbing structural solids. The recent development of strong hydrogels suggests that it may be possible to design new families of strong gels that would allow the design of soft biomimetic machines, which have not previously been possible.

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