The DOI matches its Crossref record; 40 of the 42 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Self-folding of polymer sheets using local light absorption
Abstract
This paper demonstrates experimentally and models computationally a novel and simple approach for self-folding of thin sheets of polymer using unfocused light. The sheets are made of optically transparent, pre-strained polystyrene (also known as Shrinky-Dinks) that shrink in-plane if heated uniformly. Black ink patterned on either side of the polymer sheet provides localized absorption of light, which heats the underlying polymer to temperatures above its glass transition. At these temperatures, the predefined inked regions (i.e., hinges) relax and shrink, and thereby cause the planar sheet to fold into a three-dimensional object. Self-folding is therefore achieved in a simple manner without the use of multiple fabrication steps and converts a uniform external stimulus (i.e., unfocused light) on an otherwise compositionally homogenous substrate into a hinging response. Modeling captures effectively the experimental folding trends as a function of the hinge width and support temperature and suggests that the hinged region must exceed the glass transition temperature of the sheet for folding to occur.
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“Fillers such as indocyanine green and Epolight 4121, gold particles [423,424], conductive ceramics, carbon blacks, nanotubes, and even ink [425] may be incorporated in SMPs to improve the heating efficiency [149,311,416,426,427].”
From A review of stimuli-responsive shape memory polymer composites (2013) · cites this paper as [425]
In the citing paper
“The black ink pattern provides localized absorption of light, which heats the underlying polymer to trigger the shape recovery of the polymer immediate under the pattern.”
From A review of stimuli-responsive shape memory polymer composites (2013) · cites this paper as [425]
In the citing paper
“The sheet under the predefined inked region recovers causing the planar sheet to fold into a three-dimensional object as shown in Fig. 15.”
From A review of stimuli-responsive shape memory polymer composites (2013) · cites this paper as [425]
Citations
Cites
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Lendlein, A., Jiang, H., Jünger, O., & Langer, R. (2005) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature03496 · Cited by 2,006
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Polymers move in response to light
Jiang, H. Y., Kelch, S., & Lendlein, A. (2006) · Advanced Materials · doi:10.1002/adma.200502266 · Cited by 631
Biomedical applications of thermally activated shape memory polymers
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Stoychev, G. V., Puretskiy, N., & Ionov, L. (2011) · Soft Matter · doi:10.1039/c1sm05109a · Cited by 346
Research works printed but not linked: 2
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Metadata
- Authors
- Liu, Y., Boyles, J. K., Genzer, J., & Dickey, M. D.
- Affiliations
- North Carolina State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Dickey, Michael D.
- Venue
- Soft Matter
- Publisher
- Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
- Published
- 2012
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1764-1769
- ISSN
- 1744-683X (ISSN-L)
- 1744-6848
- OpenAlex
- W2123741193
- Cited by
- 523
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 16 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 39 · 2021: 38 · 2020: 53 · 2019: 30 · 2018: 60 · 2017: 59 · 2016: 45 · 2015: 38 · 2014: 45 · 2013: 33 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 49.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Soft Matter (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Department of Energy
- Royal Society
- Royal Society of Chemistry
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Advanced Materials and Mechanics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Computational Mechanics › Laser and Thermal Forming Techniques
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Polymers and Plastics › Polymer composites and self-healing
- Keywords
- self-folding, polymer sheets, polystyrene, light-induced heating, hinge, glass transition temperature, thermal contraction
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