Exploring the contraction actuation of magnetically functionalized electrospun tubes

Recently, magnetically functionalized polymer tubes (MFPTs) have been fabricated through a multistep electrospinning process. These innovative MFPTs can serve as ducts suitable for microfluidic components and biomedical devices. Considering these applications, it is crucial to investigate the effectiveness of inducing oscillating contractions at low frequencies. For this purpose, we designed an experimental setup to study the cross-sectional contraction of these smart tubes when subjected to a magnetic field produced by the oscillation of a small permanent magnet. A magnetoelastic wave resonator placed near the MFPT section detects the induced contraction, enabling the calculation of both its magnitude and response times. The results demonstrate that oscillating contractions, resulting in a maximum reduction of duct radius by approximately 43%, can be achieved with an oscillating magnetic induction field of amplitude around 10 mT, at a low frequency not exceeding 1/2 Hz. These findings highlight the potential of such innovative MFPTs, particularly in the fields of surgery and endoscopy.