High Thermal Conductive Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanofibers

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) exhibit reversible phase transitions but suffer from low thermal conductivity due to amorphous polymer networks.
• Enhancing thermal conductivity in LCEs is crucial for rapid kinetic performance in thermomechanical applications.
• Fiber formation can improve thermal conductivity via polymer chain alignment, but network rigidity and cross-linking pose challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To overcome the limitations of low thermal conductivity in LCEs.
• To develop a method for fabricating submicron LCE fibers with enhanced thermal properties.
• To investigate the potential of these fibers in advanced thermomechanical systems.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing hydrodynamic alignment to orient liquid crystal domains within LCEs.
• Implementing controlled in situ cross-linking during fiber formation.
• Reducing fiber diameter to submicron dimensions.

Main Results:

• Achieved intrinsic thermal conductivity of LCE fibers at 1.44 ± 0.32 W/m-K at room temperature.
• Fabricated fibers with diameters below 100 nm, approaching the quasi-1D regime limit.
• Demonstrated a method applicable to other cross-linked polymer systems.

Conclusions:

• Submicron LCE fibers fabricated via hydrodynamic alignment exhibit significantly enhanced thermal conductivity.
• The developed fibers possess properties suitable for rapid response and high force output in thermomechanical systems.
• The fabrication technique offers a pathway for improving thermal performance in various cross-linked polymers.