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Customizable Sophisticated Three-Dimensional Shape Changes of Large-Size Liquid Crystal Elastomer Actuators
Bin Ni1, Gaoyu Liu1, Mengxue Zhang1
1CNRS, Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris, UMR8247, Chimie ParisTech, Université Paris Sciences & Lettres, 75005 Paris, France.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|November 5, 2021
Summary
Researchers developed large, multi-shaped liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) using magnetic alignment and soft lithography. These stimuli-responsive LCEs offer customizable 3D shapes and diverse deformations for advanced applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Science
- Soft Robotics
Background:
- Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are known for stimuli-responsive shape changes.
- Challenges remain in scaling up LCEs with complex 3D shapes and multi-functionality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a scalable method for producing large, multi-shaped, and multi-functional LCEs.
- To explore diverse stimuli-responsive deformation behaviors in customized LCE actuators.
Main Methods:
- Combined magnetic field alignment with soft lithography technology.
- Fabricated LCEs in various conventional and exotic 3D shapes (e.g., film, cylinder, ellipsoid, hemispheroid, tube, pyramid, frames, grid, spring).
- Controlled alignment directions to achieve diverse deformation behaviors (contraction, expansion, bending, twisting).
Main Results:
- Successfully prepared large-size LCEs with customizable conventional and exotic 3D shapes.
- Demonstrated diverse deformation behaviors by controlling alignment directions.
- Explored potential applications of a hemispheroid LCE actuator in dynamic Braille displays and adjustable lenses.
Conclusions:
- The presented strategy enables convenient customization of multi-morphological, large-size 3D LCE actuators.
- These advancements significantly expand potential applications for LCEs in soft robotics and bionic systems.
