Ultra-thin graphene oxide (GO)-DNA composite polymerization gels (CPGs)

DNA polymerization gels are a new class of soft programmable materials capable of reversible 100-fold volumetric size changes induced by DNA-specific strand displacement reactions. By incorporating DNA circuits and spatial patterns, these gels could orchestrate complex, self-regulating processes of relevance to biosensing, robotics, and medicine. However, the ultrasoft nature of the gels and slow response times can limit applicability. We developed GO-DNA composite polymerization gels (CPGs) by blending DNA gels with graphene oxide (GO). Photopatterned ultra-thin GO-DNA CPG films, as thin as 8 µm, were achieved. Notably, GO-DNA CPGs exhibited similar rates of swelling but 60 times faster shrinking, suggesting that the introduction of inorganic nanoparticles could provide a means to tune the mechanical properties and swelling characteristics of DNA polymerization gels.