Solvent induced reversible deformations of polymeric 3D microstructures for actuation and sensing applications

We present a way to utilize 3D polymeric microstructures, fabricated by direct laser writing in pre-polymers, for smart materials' applications. The structures undergo swelling or shrinkage induced by interaction with liquids which can be converted into different types of deformations (elongation, bending, etc.) by careful choice of the 3D geometry. Several architectural designs of the polymeric structures are proposed for sensing and actuation applications. A non-uniform sensitivity of an object to the surrounding medium is achieved by tweaking the geometry of the structures. Also, a novel design of the chemical sensor based on 3D periodic lattice produced moire pattern imaging is presented.