Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Photoresponsive Liquid Grippers for Multi-Dimensional Droplet Manipulation.

Small methods·2026

Same author

Shape-Switchable Liquid-Crystal Polymer Actuators with Light-Induced Shape Memory Effect.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2025

Same author

Liquid crystal polymer actuators with complex and multiple actuations.

Journal of materials chemistry. B·2024

Same author

Dual-Mode Patterns Enabled by Photofluidization of an Azobenzene-Containing Linear Liquid Crystal Copolymer.

Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids·2024

Same author

Photo- and Humidity-Responsive Liquid Crystal Copolymer Actuators Fabricated via Vapor-Assisted Alignment.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2024

Same author

Multiple Shape Manipulation of Azobenzene-Containing Polyimide by Combining Shape Memory Effect, Photofixity, and Photodeformation.

ACS macro letters·2023

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 11, 2025

Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators

Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators

Published on: May 20, 2018

Nature-Inspired Liquid Crystal Polymer Actuators: From Alignment Regulation to Nano-composition.

Xiaoyu Zhang¹, Ziyue Yang¹, Yanlei Yu¹

¹College of Smart Materials and Future Energy, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University, 2005 Songhu Road, Shanghai, 200438, China.

Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)

|August 13, 2025

Summary

Liquid crystal polymers (LCPs) enable large, reversible deformations for nature-inspired actuators and robots. This review details LCP mesogen alignment methods and nanomaterial integration to enhance performance.

Keywords:

alignment regulation liquid crystal polymer nano‐composition soft actuator

More Related Videos

Free-form Light Actuators — Fabrication and Control of Actuation in Microscopic Scale

Free-form Light Actuators — Fabrication and Control of Actuation in Microscopic Scale

Published on: May 25, 2016

Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites

Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites

Published on: February 6, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 11, 2025

Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators

Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators

Published on: May 20, 2018

Free-form Light Actuators — Fabrication and Control of Actuation in Microscopic Scale

Free-form Light Actuators — Fabrication and Control of Actuation in Microscopic Scale

Published on: May 25, 2016

Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites

Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites

Published on: February 6, 2016

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Polymer Science
Robotics

Background:

Liquid crystal polymers (LCPs) with crosslinked networks and ordered mesogens exhibit significant anisotropic deformation in response to stimuli.
This property makes LCPs highly promising for developing nature-inspired actuators and robots.

Purpose of the Study:

To review recent advances in nature-inspired LCP actuators.
Focus on the critical role of mesogen alignment and macroscopic geometry in LCP actuator performance.
To explore the integration of nanomaterials for enhanced actuation.

Main Methods:

Detailed review of mesogen alignment techniques: surface-enforced, field-assisted, mechanical, rheological, and self-assembly.
Survey of nanomaterial compositions used to improve LCP actuator performance.
Analysis of the interplay between LCP chemistry, processing, and alignment.

Main Results:

Mesogen alignment is crucial for determining attainable actuation modes in LCPs.
Various alignment methods offer control over macroscopic geometry and actuation behavior.
Nanomaterial incorporation can significantly enhance the actuation performance of LCPs.

Conclusions:

Understanding and controlling mesogen alignment is key to unlocking diverse actuation modes.
Nanomaterials offer a pathway to superior LCP actuator performance.
Future research should address current challenges and explore new development trends in LCP actuators.