Bistable Dual-Responsive Azobenzene-co-PNIPAM Soft Microactuators via Two-Photon Direct Laser Writing (data)

Here, bistable soft microactuators with arbitrary 3D shapes fabricated by two-photon polymerization at micrometer precision are demonstrated. The bistability is given by material composition, based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM) and a light-responsive azobenzene compound. The incorporation of a photoswitchable azobenzene compound into pNIPAM enables the modification of its lower critical solution temperature (LCST) through the (E)–(Z)-isomerization. Shrinking and swelling, is controlled by photoswitching, allowing for the actuation of Azo_pNIPAM microactuators at a constant temperature regime. This data set presents microscopy images, confocal z-stacks and force indentation curves for the characterization of thermo- and lightresponse.