Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 23, 2025
08:17
Free-form Light Actuators — Fabrication and Control of Actuation in Microscopic Scale
Published on: May 25, 2016
9.3K
Shape-Programmable Liquid-Crystalline Polyurethane-Based Multimode Actuators Triggered by Light-Driven Molecular
Jinying Bao1, Zizheng Wang1, Chenjie Song2
1Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering & School of Materials Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|July 17, 2023
Summary
Researchers developed light-responsive polymer films using molecular motors to create advanced soft actuators. These actuators enable complex, large-amplitude motions for biomimetic devices and artificial robots.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Robotics
Background:
- Light-driven soft actuators are crucial for artificial robots and biomimetic devices.
- Amplifying molecular isomerization to macroscopic actuation with complex motions remains a challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel light-responsive liquid-crystalline polyurethane elastomer using phototriggered molecular motors.
- To achieve amplified molecular motion into macroscopic actuation with large amplitude and complex motions.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized a trifunctional molecular motor with an ethylene glycol spacer.
- Utilized the molecular motor as a crosslinker and unidirectional stirrer in a polyurethane elastomer.
- Investigated the phototriggered actuation of the resulting shape-programmable polymeric film.
Main Results:
- The developed polymeric film exhibits superior mechanical properties and a shape-memory effect.
- Achieved diverse macroscopic motions including bending, unwinding, and contracting.
- Demonstrated tunable actuation speed over a wide range.
Conclusions:
- The strategy effectively amplifies molecular isomerization to macroscopic actuation.
- Paved a new way for designing advanced light-responsive soft actuators and robots.
- Highlights the potential of overcrowded alkene-based molecular motors in soft robotics.
