Design of autonomous mass-transport with chemical wave propagation in self-oscillating gel

A novel gel was successfully prepared by copolymerization N-isopropylacrylamide(NIPAAm), 2-acrylamide-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS) and iron(II) (5-acrylamide-1,10-phenanthroline) bis(1,10-phenanthroline) (Fe(phen)3). The influence of the AMPS feed ratio on the network structure and the swelling ratio was investigated. The chemical structure and interior morphology were investigated by FT-IR spectroscopy analysis and SEM. It was found that the volume and color oscillated with the chemical wave propagation in the gel. And a self-driven conveyer is successfully constructed with the prepared gels acting as both the sheet gel and cargo. When the sheet gel was immersed in the catalyst-free BZ solution, chemical wave propagated in the gel sheet and a cylindrical gel cargo placed on the surface was transported with it. The transport velocity of cargo was investigated and it was related to the BZ substrate concentrations and cargo’s diameter. The results are useful in the design of microfluidic devices and autonomously mass-transport systems under mild pH conditions.