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Melt Electrowriting of Liquid Crystal Elastomer Scaffolds with Programmed Mechanical Response
Mehrzad Javadzadeh1, Jesús Del Barrio2, Carlos Sánchez-Somolinos1,3
1Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón (INMA), CSIC-Universidad de Zaragoza, Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Zaragoza, 50009, Spain.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|December 2, 2022
Summary
Melt electrowriting creates ultrafine liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) fibers for advanced scaffolds. This technique enables precise control over fiber alignment and structure, paving the way for novel soft robotics and biomedical applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Additive Manufacturing
Background:
- Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) offer programmable responses but face challenges in fabricating ultrafine fiber scaffolds.
- Conventional extrusion-based printing limits the resolution and precision required for complex LCE structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present melt electrowriting as a novel technique for fabricating ultrafine LCE fibers.
- To demonstrate the ability to precisely control fiber alignment and scaffold morphology.
- To explore the potential of these LCE scaffolds in advanced applications.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing reactive liquid crystalline inks for melt electrowriting.
- Employing ultraviolet-light-induced crosslinking to solidify LCE fibers.
- Digitally programming fiber paths to control mesogen alignment and scaffold architecture.
Main Results:
- Achieved uniform LCE fibers with diameters from nanometers to tens of micrometers, surpassing conventional methods.
- Demonstrated controlled mesogen alignment parallel to the fiber axis, dictating mechanical response.
- Fabricated well-defined square lattice scaffolds with ultrafine fibers and small periods (90 µm).
- Created complex microstructures with high-aspect-ratio LCE thin walls through layer stacking and fusion.
Conclusions:
- Melt electrowriting provides a powerful platform for creating high-resolution LCE fiber scaffolds.
- The digitally controlled alignment and structure enable programmed, reversible shape-morphing capabilities.
- This technology opens new possibilities for miniaturized actuators, smart structures, soft robotics, and biomedical devices.
