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Preparation of Liquid Crystal Networks for Macroscopic Oscillatory Motion Induced by Light

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Published on: September 20, 2017

Photo-Responsive Shape-Memory and Shape-Changing Liquid-Crystal Polymer Networks.

Danish Iqbal¹, Muhammad Haris Samiullah²

¹Max-Planck-Institut für Eisen Forschung GmbH, Max-Planck-str.1, 40237, Düsseldorf, Germany. d.iqbal@mpie.de.

Materials (Basel, Switzerland)

|August 16, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Smart polymers (SPs) rapidly change shape, size, or color in response to stimuli. This review focuses on light-activated shape-memory and shape-changing polymers and their applications.

Keywords:

azobenzenes liquid-crystalline elastomers liquid-crystalline networks shape-changing polymers shape-memory polymers smart materials

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Area of Science:

Materials Science
Polymer Chemistry

Background:

Traditional polymers exhibit gradual, linear responses to external stimuli.
Smart polymers (SPs), also known as stimuli-responsive polymers (SRPs), display rapid, nonlinear changes in properties like shape, size, color, or conductivity.
SPs offer unique capabilities for advanced material applications.

Purpose of the Study:

To review current advancements in light-activated shape-memory polymers (SMPs) and shape-changing polymers.
To explore the potential applications of these light-responsive smart polymers.

Main Methods:

Literature review of recent research on light-activated SMPs and shape-changing polymers.
Analysis of the mechanisms behind stimuli-responsive behavior in these materials.

Main Results:

Light can induce rapid and reversible macroscopic changes in specific SPs.
Two main categories of SPs with active shape change capabilities are shape-memory polymers and shape-changing polymers.
Significant progress has been made in controlling light-induced shape transformations.

Conclusions:

Light-activated shape-memory and shape-changing polymers represent a rapidly advancing field.
These materials hold considerable promise for diverse applications due to their unique responsive properties.