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Polymerization generates chiral centers along the entire backbone of a polymer chain. Accordingly, the stereochemistry of the substituent group has a significant effect on polymer properties. Polymers formed from monosubstituted alkene monomers feature chiral carbons at every alternate position in the polymer backbone. Relative to the predominant orientation of substituents at the adjacent chiral carbons, the polymer can exist in three different configurations: isotactic, syndiotactic, and...
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Step-growth or condensation polymerization is a stepwise reaction of bi or multifunctional monomers to form long-chain polymers. As all the monomers are reactive, most of the monomers are consumed at the early stages of the reaction to form small chains of reactive oligomers, which then combine to form long polymer chains in the late stages. Hence, the reaction has to proceed for a long time to achieve high molecular weight polymers.
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The cationic polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination. In the initiation step of the polymerization process, the π bond of a monomer gets protonated by the Lewis acid catalyst, which is formed from boron trifluoride and water. The protonation of the π bond generates a carbocation stabilized by the electron‐donating group. In the propagation step, the π bond of the second monomer acts as a nucleophile and attacks the...
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Unlike ionic or small covalent molecules, polymers do not form crystalline solids due to the diffusion limitations of their long-chain structures. However, polymers contain microscopic crystalline domains separated by amorphous domains.
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Copolymers are the products obtained from the polymerization of multiple monomer species. So, in a polymer chain itself, there can be multiple repeating units that come from different monomers. The process of synthesizing a polymer from different monomer species is called copolymerization. When two monomers are involved, the polymer is known as a bipolymer. Polymers with three and four monomers are termed terpolymers and quaterpolymers, respectively. Figure 1 depicts the copolymerization of...
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Polymers are classified as linear or branched on the basis of their chain architecture. The polymer chains in linear polymers have a long chain-like structure with minimal to no branching at all. Even if a polymer features large substituent groups on the monomer, which appear as branches to the skeleton, it is not considered a branched polymer. A branched polymer contains secondary polymer chains that arise from the main polymer chain. The branching occurs when the polymer growth shifts from...
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Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators
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Pluralizing actuation behavior of 3D printable liquid crystal elastomers via polymerization sequence control.

Wenjun Peng1,2, Pengxin Zhao1,2, Xiaorui Zhou3

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Summary

Researchers developed a novel double-network liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) that exhibits controllable cooling-induced contraction or elongation. This breakthrough enables sophisticated LCE actuators with diverse four-dimensional actuation behaviors for advanced applications.

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Soft Robotics

Background:

  • Mechanical stretching is standard for aligning mesogens in liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs), crucial for muscle-like actuation.
  • Conventional LCEs primarily exhibit cooling-induced elongation due to mesogen alignment solely in the stretching direction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To design a novel LCE architecture enabling tunable actuation modes.
  • To achieve complex, multimodal four-dimensional (4D) actuation in LCEs.

Main Methods:

  • Fabrication of an interpenetrating double network LCE comprising an LCE network and an elastomer network.
  • Sequential polymerization of the two networks, with one network pre-stretched before the other's polymerization.
  • Integration with 3D printing to create geometrically complex LCE structures.

Main Results:

  • The double-network LCE demonstrated two opposite actuation modes: conventional cooling-induced elongation and unusual cooling-induced contraction, dependent on the polymerization sequence.
  • Strategic combination of these opposite behaviors within a single LCE resulted in sophisticated actuation capabilities.
  • 3D printing enabled the creation of complex LCEs exhibiting diverse multimodal 4D actuation.

Conclusions:

  • The developed double-network LCE design expands the possibilities for LCE actuator development.
  • This approach offers new avenues for creating advanced LCE actuators with tailored and complex actuation behaviors.
  • The findings hold potential for diverse applications in soft robotics and smart materials.