Fast and Ample Light Controlled Actuation of Monodisperse All‐DNA Microgels
Rémi Merindol, Nicolas Martin, Thomas Beneyton, Jean‐Christophe Baret, Serge Ravaine
Abstract
Abstract The assembly of adaptive hierarchical soft materials that resemble living tissues requires responsive building blocks of controlled dimensions. While DNA self‐assembly provides an exceptional tool for nanoscale architectural control, responsive DNA microstructures remain scarce. Here, two challenges controlling the size of DNA microstructures and embedding them with fast and ample structural response are addressed. For size‐control, arrested phase separation and microfluidic confinement are combined to produce monodisperse all‐DNA particles. For responsiveness, a light controlled coil‐globule transition of the microgel DNA network powered by an azobenzene cationic surfactant is implemented. The photoinduced trans‐cis isomerization of the azobenzene moiety reduces its affinity for DNA which results in fast, large amplitudes microgel swelling. Finally, the assembly of light responsive microgel superstructures is demonstrated as proof‐of‐concept hierarchical all‐DNA materials.