Shape-Morphing Liquid-Crystal polymers
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Updated: Jul 30, 2025

Novel Techniques for Observing Structural Dynamics of Photoresponsive Liquid Crystals
Published on: May 29, 2018
Dachuan Zhang1, Chenrui Yuan1, Yang Zhou1
1CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Anhui Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, P. R. China.
Abstract:
Liquid-crystal polymers are a type of representative material combining the order-disorder transition of liquid crystals and the superior properties of polymers. The phase transition from the liquid-crystal phase to the isotropic state of mesogens causes large, controllable, and reversible deformation of polymers; thus, liquid-crystal polymers have emerged as one of the most valuable candidates for shape-morphing materials. Therefore, this review will focus on the recent development of shape-morphing liquid-crystal polymers, including the modes of energy conversions, material design strategies and further applications. In the main, novel material design methods and a wide range of application of shape-morphing liquid-crystal polymers are discussed.
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