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Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites
Published on: February 6, 2016
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Probing the in-plane liquid-like behavior of liquid crystal elastomers
Haruki Tokumoto1, Hao Zhou2, Asaka Takebe1
1Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan.
Science Advances
|June 19, 2021
Summary
Thiol-acrylate liquid crystal elastomers exhibit a unique liquid-like state, maintaining identical stresses in orthogonal directions regardless of strain. This discovery reveals a new material state with shape-shifting capabilities and no mechanical energy cost during in-plane deformation.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Soft Matter Physics
- Polymer Science
Background:
- Isotropic solids typically exhibit higher true stress in larger strain directions.
- Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are known for their unique mechanical properties and stimuli-responsiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mechanical behavior of polydomain thiol-acrylate liquid crystal elastomers under biaxial strain.
- To identify and characterize a novel state of matter exhibiting unusual stress-strain relationships.
Main Methods:
- Experimental biaxial stretching of thiol-acrylate LCEs.
- Theoretical modeling and computational simulation to explain observed phenomena.
Main Results:
- Polydomain LCEs maintain identical true stresses in orthogonal directions, irrespective of individual strain magnitudes.
- Stress is solely dependent on the in-plane area change, not the specific strain combination.
- Demonstration of a liquid-like, energy-free deformation in-plane, characteristic of a new material state.
Conclusions:
- The study identifies a new state of matter in polydomain LCEs with liquid-like in-plane deformability.
- This unique behavior is governed by area change, offering significant potential for applications like adaptable materials and membranes.
