This three-year, $398,903 National Science Foundation project grant will fund research at the University of California San Diego to develop new microactuation materials through understanding the influence of shear-dependent viscosities on acoustic field-driven assembly of particles in polymer composites. The goal is to enable the precise spatial patterning of nanoparticles within stimuli-responsive polymer matrices using surface acoustic waves, allowing programmable shape reconfiguration and motion at the sub-millimeter scale. The research is expected to advance next-generation materials that can respond to environmental changes and be used in small-scale soft robotics for biomedical applications. It will also engage and train graduate and undergraduate students in relevant STEM fields while leveraging existing outreach programs to promote diversity and inclusion in engineering.
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