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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
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.
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.
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