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Robust and Multi-Functional Electrically Responsive Gold/Polydopamine-Coated Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Artificial

Joshua C Ince1, Setareh Elyasi1, Alan R Duffy2

  • 1School of Engineering, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Melbourne, VIC 3122, Australia.

Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland)
|November 12, 2025
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Summary

Researchers developed electrically responsive Liquid Crystalline Elastomer (LCE) artificial muscles. Polydopamine treatment improved gold coating adhesion to LCEs, enabling enhanced strain-sensing and electro-responsive features.

Keywords:
LCEartificial musclejoule heatingmulti-functionalstrain sensing

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Polymer Science
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Liquid Crystalline Elastomers (LCEs) are functionalized with electrically conductive coatings for electrical response.
  • Achieving robust adhesion between coatings and LCEs is a significant challenge.
  • This limitation hinders the performance and application of these smart polymers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a facile method for creating electrically responsive LCE artificial muscles.
  • To investigate the use of polydopamine (PDA) as an adhesion promoter for conductive coatings on LCEs.
  • To impart strain-sensing, self-actuation-sensing, and joule-heating capabilities to LCEs.

Main Methods:

  • LCEs were treated with polydopamine (PDA).
  • PDA-treated LCEs were subsequently coated with an electrically conductive gold film via sputtering.
  • The adhesion and properties of the functionalized LCEs were evaluated.

Main Results:

  • PDA treatment significantly enhanced the adhesion of the gold sputter coating to the LCE surface.
  • The resulting multi-functional LCEs exhibited robust electrical conductivity and electro-responsiveness.
  • The fabricated LCEs demonstrated strain-sensing and joule-heating capabilities.

Conclusions:

  • Polydopamine is an effective surface treatment for improving the adhesion of conductive coatings to LCEs.
  • This method enables the fabrication of advanced, multi-functional LCE-based artificial muscles.
  • The findings open new avenues for LCE applications in robotics and smart devices.