Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Mechanism of Filopodia Formation01:39

Mechanism of Filopodia Formation

3.1K
Filopodia are thin, actin-rich cellular protrusions that play an important role in many fundamental cellular functions. They vary in their occurrence, length, and positioning in different cell types, suggesting their diverse roles.
Their main function is to guide migrating cells during normal tissue morphogenesis or cancer metastasis by recognizing and making initial contacts with the extracellular matrix. However, they can also act as stationary cell anchors or help to establish communication...
3.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

A General Strategy for Developing Si-Rhodamine-Based Fluorogenic Dyes for Advanced Bioimaging and Biosensing.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same author

Fabrication of Mechanically Reinforced Photo-Cross-linked Hydrogels with Steep Post-Gelation Threshold Curing via Vinylated Self-Assembling Peptides.

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)·2026
Same author

NirFAP680: a highly bright and stable large Stokes shift near-infrared fluorogen-activating protein.

Nature methods·2026
Same author

Biosafe macromolecular crosslinking enables tunable biodegradation and sustained reparative bioactivity of small intestinal submucosa.

Materials today. Bio·2026
Same author

Goat Milk Fat Globule Membrane Supplementation Ameliorates Alzheimer Disease Cognitive Impairment by Modulating the Gut Microbiota.

Journal of agricultural and food chemistry·2026
Same author

Scalable, Low-Cost, Freeze-Resistant Hydrogels by Alkali-Polyphenol-Triggered Polymerization for Low-Temperature Self-Powered Triboelectric Sensor.

Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 18, 2026

Free-form Light Actuators — Fabrication and Control of Actuation in Microscopic Scale
08:17

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

Published on: May 25, 2016

9.6K

Enabling Ultra-High Work Capacity and Scalable Processability of Liquid Crystal Actuators through Densely Entangled

Caicai Li1, Tuan Liu1, Yuzhan Li2

  • 1School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, P. R. China.

Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|September 10, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed advanced liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) with enhanced performance and simplified fabrication. These soft actuators offer high strength and thermoplastic-like processability for next-generation wearables and rehabilitation devices.

Keywords:
liquid crystal elastomerspolyurethanessoft actuatorssupramolecular polymersthermoplastic elastomers

More Related Videos

Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators
12:04

Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators

Published on: May 20, 2018

9.4K
Synthesis of Programmable Main-chain Liquid-crystalline Elastomers Using a Two-stage Thiol-acrylate Reaction
11:17

Synthesis of Programmable Main-chain Liquid-crystalline Elastomers Using a Two-stage Thiol-acrylate Reaction

Published on: January 19, 2016

23.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 18, 2026

Free-form Light Actuators — Fabrication and Control of Actuation in Microscopic Scale
08:17

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

Published on: May 25, 2016

9.6K
Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators
12:04

Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators

Published on: May 20, 2018

9.4K
Synthesis of Programmable Main-chain Liquid-crystalline Elastomers Using a Two-stage Thiol-acrylate Reaction
11:17

Synthesis of Programmable Main-chain Liquid-crystalline Elastomers Using a Two-stage Thiol-acrylate Reaction

Published on: January 19, 2016

23.1K

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Soft Robotics

Background:

  • Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are promising soft actuators but face challenges in performance and fabrication.
  • Current LCE applications are limited by inadequate actuation and complex manufacturing processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop LCEs with significantly enhanced actuation performance.
  • To simplify the fabrication process of LCEs.
  • To enable practical applications in wearables and rehabilitation devices.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesized high-molecular-weight linear LCEs (>180 kDa) with moderate side groups in a single step to create densely entangled structures.
  • Utilized melt shearing or solvent treatment to disrupt entanglements for thermoplastic-like processability.
  • Fabricated lightweight wearable devices (<10 g).

Main Results:

  • Achieved ultra-high actuation work capacity (1427 kJ m-3) due to enhanced mechanical strength and toughness.
  • Demonstrated thermoplastic-like processability by temporarily disrupting entanglements.
  • Developed wearable devices generating over 30 N of contractile force, capable of lifting an adult arm.

Conclusions:

  • A single-step fabrication method yields densely entangled LCEs with superior actuation and processability.
  • These advanced LCEs show significant potential for applications in rehabilitation, wearables, and soft robotics.
  • The developed LCEs overcome previous limitations, paving the way for practical soft actuator implementation.