Michelle Quan

All Publications

• Biomolecular Actuators for Soft Robots. Chemical reviews Quan, M. C., Mai, D. J. 2025

  Abstract

  Biomolecules present promising stimuli-responsive mechanisms to revolutionize soft actuators. Proteins, peptides, and nucleic acids foster specific intermolecular interactions, and their boundless sequence design spaces encode precise actuation capabilities. Drawing inspiration from nature, biomolecular actuators harness existing stimuli-responsive properties to meet the needs of diverse applications. This review features biomolecular actuators that respond to a wide variety of stimuli to drive both user-directed and autonomous actuation. We discuss how advances in biomaterial fabrication accelerate prototyping of precise, custom actuators, and we identify biomolecules with untapped actuation potential. Finally, we highlight opportunities for multifunctional and reconfigurable biomolecules to improve the versatility and sustainability of next-generation soft actuators.

  View details for DOI 10.1021/acs.chemrev.4c00811

  View details for PubMedID 40331746

• Magnetic field-dependent rheological behavior of thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) solutions RHEOLOGICA ACTA Neal, C. A. P., Shetty, A. M., Linn, J. D., Quan, M. C., Casas, J. D., Calabrese, M. A. 2024; 63 (7): 493-512

  View details for DOI 10.1007/s00397-024-01454-y

  View details for Web of Science ID 001235475100001

• Development of microbeads from unmodified biomass with tunable size and competitive mechanical properties CELLULOSE Robertson, B., Hoover, L., Rott, G., Quan, M., Calabrese, M. 2023; 30 (14): 8839-8859

  View details for DOI 10.1007/s10570-023-05393-4

  View details for Web of Science ID 001037602900002

• Effect of nanoparticle loading and magnetic field application on the thermodynamic, optical, and rheological behavior of thermoresponsive polymer solutions JOURNAL OF VINYL & ADDITIVE TECHNOLOGY Neal, C. A. P., Kresge, G., Quan, M. C., Leon, V., Chibambo, N. O., Calabrese, M. A. 2023; 29 (4): 795-812

  Abstract

  Although processing via external stimuli is a promising technique to tune the structure and properties of polymeric materials, the impact of magnetic fields on phase transitions in thermoresponsive polymer solutions is not well-understood. As nanoparticle (NP) addition is also known to impact these thermodynamic and optical properties, synergistic effects from combining magnetic fields with NP incorporation provide a novel route for tuning material properties. Here, the thermodynamic, optical, and rheological properties of aqueous poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) solutions are examined in the presence of hydrophilic silica NPs and magnetic fields, individually and jointly, via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), magneto-turbidimetry, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and magneto-rheology. While NPs and magnetic fields both reduce the phase separation energy barrier and lower optical transition temperatures by altering hydrogen bonding (H-bonding), infrared spectra demonstrate that the mechanism by which these changes occur is distinct. Magnetic fields primarily alter solvent polarization while NPs provide PNIPAM-NP H-bonding sites. Combining NP addition with field application uniquely alters the solution environment and results in field-dependent rheological behavior that is unseen in polymer-only solutions. These investigations provide fundamental understanding on the interplay of magnetic fields and NP addition on PNIPAM thermoresponsivity which can be harnessed for increasingly complex stimuli-responsive materials.

  View details for DOI 10.1002/vnl.21968

  View details for Web of Science ID 000898867100001

  View details for PubMedID 37546292

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC10403256

• Tuning the thermodynamic, optical, and rheological properties of thermoresponsive polymer solutions via silica nanoparticle shape and concentration JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE Neal, C. A. P., Leon, V., Quan, M. C., Chibambo, N. O., Calabrese, M. A. 2023; 629: 878-895

  Abstract

  The shape and quantity of hydrophilic silica nanoparticles (NPs) can be used to tune the microstructure, rheology, and stability of phase-separating polymer solutions. In thermoresponsive polymer systems, silica nanospheres are well-studied whereas anisotropic NPs have little literature precedent. Here, we hypothesize that NP shape and concentration lower the onset of rheological and turbidimetric transitions of aqueous poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) solutions.Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), turbidimetry, and oscillatory rheology are utilized to examine interactions between NPs, PNIPAM, and water and to track changes in phase separation and rheological properties due to NP concentration and shape.NP addition reduces phase separation enthalpy due to PNIPAM-NP hydrogen bonding interactions, the degree to which depends on polymer content. While NP addition minorly impacts thermodynamic and optical properties, rheological transitions and associated rheological properties are dramatically altered with increasing temperature, and depend on NP quantity, shape, and polymer molecular weight. Thus NP content and shape can be used to finely tune transition temperatures and mechanical properties for applications in stimuli-responsive materials.

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.08.139

  View details for Web of Science ID 000876396300010

  View details for PubMedID 36202031

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC10593120