LIHAM Fabrication with Large Spacers for Minimized Metastructure Impact

A capillary cell was assembled above the metastructures using polystyrene balls coated with UV glue as the spacers. Large spacers (with a ball diameter of 214 µm, MicroParticles GmbH) are used for making thick LIHAMs to minimize the impact of metastructures on the deformation behaviours of LIHAMs. Then, the prepared hydrogel precursor was infiltrated into the capillary cell, followed by 15 min of UV exposure. This approach enables the fabrication of LIHAMs with minimized metastructure influence on their deformation properties. The use of large spacers allows for the creation of thicker LIHAMs, providing more flexibility and control over the material's response to light stimulation.