Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Polymer Classification: Crystallinity

Polymer Classification: Crystallinity

Unlike ionic or small covalent molecules, polymers do not form crystalline solids due to the diffusion limitations of their long-chain structures. However, polymers contain microscopic crystalline domains separated by amorphous domains.
Crystalline domains are the regions where polymer chains are aligned in an orderly manner and held together in proximity by intermolecular forces. For example, chains in the crystalline domains of polyethylene and nylon are bound together by van der Waals...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Printable Bifocal Microlenses from Ferroelectric Nematic Liquid Crystal Droplets.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2026

Same author

Transient negative capacitance in ferroelectric and twist-bend ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals.

Soft matter·2026

Same author

On the fundamentals of organic mixed ionic/electronic conductors.

Journal of materials chemistry. C·2026

Same author

A Blend Strategy to Achieve High Gain and Long-Term Stability in Complementary Inverters via Vertical Organic Electrochemical Transistors.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2026

Same author

Comprehensive Characterization of a Reference Ferroelectric Nematic Liquid Crystal Material.

Materials (Basel, Switzerland)·2025

Same author

Liquid Crystalline Ordering of Banana-Shaped Gapped DNA Duplexes.

Biomacromolecules·2025

Same journal

RETRACTED: Atta et al. Effect of Montmorillonite Nanogel Composite Fillers on the Protection Performance of Epoxy Coatings on Steel Pipelines. <i>Molecules</i> 2017, <i>22</i>, 905.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

Same journal

Correction: Chen et al. Chemical Composition of <i>Litsea pungens</i> Essential Oil and Its Potential Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities. <i>Molecules</i> 2023, <i>28</i>, 6835.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

Same journal

Correction: Ruan et al. Comparison of Extraction, Isolation, Purification, Structural Characterization and Immunomodulatory Activity of Polysaccharides from Two Species of <i>Cistanche</i>. <i>Molecules</i> 2025, <i>30</i>, 4754.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

Same journal

Correction: Li et al. Gastrodin Ameliorates Cognitive Dysfunction in Vascular Dementia Rats by Suppressing Ferroptosis via the Regulation of the Nrf2/Keap1-GPx4 Signaling Pathway. <i>Molecules</i> 2022, <i>27</i>, 6311.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

Same journal

Correction: Zueva et al. Steady-State Kinetics of Enzyme-Catalyzed Hydrolysis of Echothiophate, a P-S Bonded Organophosphorus as Monitored by Spectrofluorimetry. <i>Molecules</i> 2020, <i>25</i>, 1371.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

Same journal

1,4-Diazatriphenylene and Its Hetero-Fused Analogs: Synthesis and Applications.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 27, 2025

Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites

Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites

Published on: February 6, 2016

Flexo-Ionic Effect of Ionic Liquid Crystal Elastomers.

C P Hemantha Rajapaksha¹, M D Tharindupriya Gunathilaka², Suresh Narute³

¹Department of Physics, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44240, USA.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

|July 24, 2021

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Ionic liquid crystal elastomers (iLCEs) exhibit a significant flexo-ionic effect, generating electric signals from mechanical deformation. Their performance, comparable to ionic polymers, shows potential for advanced sensors and energy harvesting devices.

Keywords:

electromechanical coupling flexo-ionic effect flexoelectricity ionic liquid crystal elastomers ionic liquids micropower generation sensors

More Related Videos

Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators

Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators

Published on: May 20, 2018

Synthesis of Programmable Main-chain Liquid-crystalline Elastomers Using a Two-stage Thiol-acrylate Reaction

Synthesis of Programmable Main-chain Liquid-crystalline Elastomers Using a Two-stage Thiol-acrylate Reaction

Published on: January 19, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 27, 2025

Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites

Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites

Published on: February 6, 2016

Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators

Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators

Published on: May 20, 2018

Synthesis of Programmable Main-chain Liquid-crystalline Elastomers Using a Two-stage Thiol-acrylate Reaction

Synthesis of Programmable Main-chain Liquid-crystalline Elastomers Using a Two-stage Thiol-acrylate Reaction

Published on: January 19, 2016

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Soft Matter Physics
Polymer Science

Background:

Ionic liquid crystal elastomers (iLCEs) are a novel class of materials combining ionic liquid and liquid crystal elastomer properties.
The flexo-ionic effect, a mechanical deformation-induced electric signal, is a key phenomenon in electroactive materials.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the flexo-ionic effect in iLCEs for the first time.
To quantify the flexo-ionic coefficients and their dependence on material alignment.
To assess the potential of iLCEs for device applications.

Main Methods:

Fabrication of iLCE films with controlled director alignment.
Measurement of flexo-ionic coefficients under mechanical deformation.
Analysis of response times and bandwidth.

Main Results:

Flexo-ionic coefficients were found to be highly dependent on director alignment, exceeding 200 µC/m in optimized configurations.
These coefficients are significantly higher than those in insulating liquid crystals and comparable to ionic electroactive polymers (iEAPs).
Planar alignment (director parallel to substrate) yielded the shortest response times, indicating high bandwidth.

Conclusions:

iLCEs demonstrate a remarkable flexo-ionic effect with potential for high performance.
Director alignment is a critical factor in optimizing the flexo-ionic response.
iLCEs show promise for applications in flexible sensors and wearable micropower generators.