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Three-dimensional liquid crystal polymer actuators assembled by athermal photo-welding
Yaoqing Feng1, Jia Wei1, Lang Qin1
1Department of Materials Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai, 200433, China. ylyu@fudan.edu.cn.
Soft Matter
|January 16, 2023
Summary
Researchers developed a novel athermal photo-welding technique for creating complex 3D actuators from liquid crystal polymers (LCPs). This method enables precise control over shape-changing behaviors for applications in soft robotics and artificial muscles.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Science
- Robotics
Background:
- Photodeformable liquid crystal polymers (LCPs) can change shape (bending, twisting) based on liquid crystal orientation.
- Creating 3D actuators with distinct, complex actuation modes is challenging due to difficulties in local orientation control within bulk architectures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a strategy for fabricating seamless 3D flexible actuators with diverse, controllable shape-changing capabilities.
- To demonstrate the integration of different orientations into a single actuator using a novel fabrication method.
Main Methods:
- Athermal photo-welding utilizing the photofluidization of azobenzene-containing linear LCPs.
- Cutting stretch-induced uniaxial LCP films in various directions and subsequently welding them via local photofluidization.
- Utilizing the photoisomerization of azobenzene to transition LCPs from a glassy to a rubbery state at room temperature.
Main Results:
- Successfully constructed a cucumber vine-like structure with opposite handedness and a lifting gripper.
- Demonstrated diverse deformation modes including winding, unwinding, and curling in the fabricated actuators.
- Fabricated seamless 3D flexible actuators without structural defects.
Conclusions:
- The proposed athermal photo-welding strategy enables the creation of complex 3D actuators with distinct actuation modes.
- This technique offers a defect-free fabrication process for advanced soft robotic components and artificial muscles.
- The method has significant potential for applications in micromechanical systems and soft robotics.
