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Siloxane crosslinks with dynamic bond exchange enable shape programming in liquid-crystalline elastomers.

Mohand O Saed1, Eugene M Terentjev2

  • 1Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J. J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, United Kingdom.

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|April 22, 2020
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Summary

This study introduces exchangeable liquid crystalline elastomers (xLCEs) using dynamic covalent chemistry. These novel materials offer enhanced processability and thermal stability for advanced smart applications.

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Soft Matter Physics

Background:

  • Liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) exhibit reversible shape changes, enabling smart applications in robotics and biomedical devices.
  • Traditional LCEs often rely on irreversible bonds, limiting their processability and long-term stability.
  • Developing LCEs with enhanced processability and durability is crucial for expanding their technological potential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce a new dynamic covalent chemistry for LCEs based on siloxane equilibrium exchange.
  • To enable advanced processing techniques such as director alignment, remolding, and welding in LCEs.
  • To create highly uniform, dynamically crosslinked networks with tunable properties and improved thermal stability.

Main Methods:

  • Incorporation of a dynamic covalent siloxane crosslinker into LCEs.
  • Utilizing robust thiol-acrylate/thiol-ene 'double-click' chemistry for network formation.
  • Characterization of material properties including glass transition, nematic-isotropic transition, and vitrification temperature.

Main Results:

  • Achieved highly uniform, dynamically crosslinked exchangeable LCEs (xLCEs).
  • Demonstrated tunable properties with a low glass transition temperature (-30°C) and controllable nematic-isotropic transition (33-70°C).
  • Exhibited unprecedented thermal stability (-50 to 140°C) and weldability for creating composite materials with multiple phase transformations.

Conclusions:

  • The developed xLCEs offer superior processability and thermal stability compared to traditional LCEs.
  • The dynamic siloxane chemistry enables versatile applications, including welding and the creation of multi-functional composite materials.
  • These findings pave the way for advanced LCE-based devices with enhanced performance and durability.