Temperature-responsive hydrogels containing plasmonic nanoparticles can exhibit a variety of light-driven non-equilibrium behaviors due to photothermally-generated temperature gradients. In particular, collections of objects with spatial dimensions on the millimeter scale or below adsorbed at fluid interfaces show a rich array of phenomena due to the strong and long-ranged capillary forces between them. Our group has developed a platform for fabrication of nanocomposite sheet-like hydrogel particles, where the overall shapes of the gel particles and the presence of plasmonic gold nanoparticles can be photolithographically patterned with high spatial resolution. Combining collections of these particles with spatiotemporal patterns of activating light provides a wealth of interesting behaviors. For example, we have recently focused on the Marangoni forces resulting from nonuniform surface tension as a route to drive trapping, oscillation, and coupled motion of nanocomposite gel particles.

Light-driven collective motion of patterned nanocomposite hydrogel sheets at air/water interfaces

ACS Fall 2021

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