| Affiliation: | 1. Multi-Scale Robotics Lab, Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, ETH Zürich, Tannenstrasse 3, Zürich, CH-8092 Switzerland;2. Department of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005 China;3. Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering, DGIST-ETH Microrobot Research Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Institute of Science & Technology (DGIST), 333 Techno jungang-daero, Hyeonpung-eup, Dalseong-gun, Daegu, 42988 Republic of Korea;4. Departament de Ciència dels Materials i Química Física, Institut de Química Teòrica i Computacional, University of Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, 08028 Spain ICREA, Institució Catalana de Reserca i Estudis Avançats, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, Barcelona, 08010 Spain |
| Abstract: | The past decade has seen an upsurge in the development of small-scale magnetic robots for various biomedical applications. However, many of the reported designs comprise components with biocompatibility concerns. Strategies for fabricating biocompatible and degradable microrobots are required. In this study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based magnetic hydrogel microrobots with different morphologies and tunable stability are developed by combining a 3D printed template-assisted casting with a salting-out process. 3D sacrificial micromolds are prepared via direct laser writing to shape PVA-magnetic nanoparticle composite hydrogel microrobots with high architectural complexity. By adjusting the PVA composition and salting-out parameters, the hydrogel dissolubility can be customized. Due to their high mobility, tunable stability, and high biocompatibility, these PVA-based magnetic microrobots are suitable platforms for targeted drug and cell delivery. |
