A Smart Photodynamic Ionic Liquid Nanogel Fiber-Based Actuator with Efficient Photothermal Conversion and Self-Cleaning Based on Supramolecular Assembly

Abstract

The advanced intelligent actuators and efficient interfacial evaporator materials have been attracted high attention of researchers and also remains a huge challenge. Inspired by giant pillars in nature, we reported a smart selfcleaning photodynamic nanogel actuator and efficient photothermal energy conversion fiber-based composite (KF-PVA@AzoPc1), which based on the supramolecular assembly nanogels from the disk-like phthalocyanineazobenzene ionic liquid (AzoPc1). The self-assembled nanogels exhibit smart actuator, photoresponsive, supramolecular photoliquefaction and nanodomain nematic liquid crystal properties. Interesting, the photodynamic actuator can intelligently move and deform under either UV or IR light-driven, respectively. The photodynamic nanogel hollow fiber actuator as the smart photothermal energy evaporator, the temperature of the KF-PVA@AzoPc1 can reach up to 73.6 °C, with a water evaporation rate of 6.29 kg m-2 h-1 under solar irradiation. KF-PVA@AzoPc1 demonstrates unique UV-IR-responsive thermal cycling, excellent light-driven behavior, and efficient photothermal self-cleaning antibacterial performances. This work establishes a smart micronano-system actuators platform based on the ionic liquid supramolecular assembly, which have potential applications in the advanced intelligent actuator and smart self-cleaning evaporation systems with the integrated solar harvesting, energy storage, and pathogen eradication capabilities.