Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39833266›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Bioinspired hydrophobic pseudo-hydrogel for programmable shape-morphing.

Zhigang Wang, Haotian Hu, Zefan Chai, Yuhang Hu, Siyuan Wang, Cheng Zhang, Chunjie Yan, Jun Wang, Wesley Coll, Tony Jun Huang and 2 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Zhigang WangFaculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China.
Haotian HuUnmanned System Research Institute, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China.
Zefan ChaiFaculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China.
Yuhang HuFaculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China.
Siyuan WangCollege of Engineering, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
Cheng ZhangCollege of Engineering, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1559-7412
Chunjie YanFaculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China.
Jun WangUnmanned System Research Institute, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China.
Wesley CollDepartment of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science, Duke University, Durham, USA.
Tony Jun HuangDepartment of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science, Duke University, Durham, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1205-3313
Xianchen XuDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, USA. xianchen.xu@duke.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9784-0019
Heng DengFaculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China. dengheng@cug.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6946-3001

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) No. 52303163
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Inspired by counterintuitive water "swelling" ability of the hydrophobic moss of the genus Sphagnum (Peat moss), we prepared a hydrophobic pseudo-hydrogel (HPH), composed of a pure hydrophobic silicone elastomer with a tailored porous structure. In contrast to conventional hydrogels, HPH achieves absorption-induced volume expansion through surface tension induced elastocapillarity, presenting an unexpected absorption-induced volume expansion capability in hydrophobic matrices. We adopt a theoretical framework elucidating the interplay of surface tension induced elastocapillarity, providing insights into the absorption-induced volume expansion behavior. By systematically programming the pore structure, we demonstrate tunable, anisotropic, and programmable absorption-induced expansion. This leads to dedicated self-shaping transformations. Incorporating magnetic particles, we engineer HPH-based soft robots capable of swimming, rolling, and walking. This study demonstrates a unusual approach to achieve water-responsive behavior in hydrophobic materials, expanding the possibilities for programmable shape-morphing in soft materials and soft robotic applications.

Identifiers

PMID39833266
PMCPMC11746949

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.