A groundbreaking development in data storage technology has emerged from the Beijing University of Chemical Technology, where researchers have created a soft, LEGO-like hydrogel system capable of reversible 3D information encoding. This innovative platform, developed by Professors Feng Shi and Mengjiao Cheng, utilizes supramolecular assembly and orthogonal stimulus responses to enable dynamic data storage, masking, and rewriting. The system's ability to store over 800 billion distinct configurations in a 5×5 array marks a significant advancement over conventional static systems.
The hydrogel cubes, which respond to external stimuli such as heat, salt, or light, can be assembled and disassembled like LEGO blocks. This unique feature allows for the information they store to be reshaped, reformatted, or erased on demand. "Unlike fixed QR codes or barcodes, this system can store, erase, rewrite, and reshape information in three dimensions," explains Shi. The technology's reliance on reversible supramolecular chemistry ensures that the cubes can be reconfigured without damaging the overall structure, offering unparalleled flexibility in data management.
Potential applications for this technology are vast, ranging from smart labels and biomedical tags to environmental sensors and secure data encoding. The system's low-cost, energy-efficient, and scalable nature makes it particularly appealing for a wide range of industries. "We're building information systems out of matter itself—where materials don't just carry information, they become it," says Cheng. This approach represents a significant shift from traditional electronic data storage methods, offering a sustainable and versatile alternative.
The research, supported by various national and institutional funding bodies, including the National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars and the National Natural Science Foundation of China, underscores the importance of this development. For more detailed information on the study, readers can refer to the original source at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.supmat.2025.100099.
