Recent Advances in Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Elastomers: Fabrication, Functionalization, and Applications

Cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers (CLCEs) are a vibrant subset of photonic materials exhibiting extraordinarily mechanochromic properties that make them an ideal platform for the development of displays, sensing, anti-counterfeiting, and camouflage technologies. In recent years, researchers have increasingly extended the structure and morphology of CLCEs to uncover their fascinating functionalities and promising applications. In this review, the historical development of CLCEs is retrospect, recent advances in the preparation methods are highlighted, and the well-ordered CLCEs with extended functionality are introduced. Within this scope, we highlight the unique advantages of CLCEs and present recent progress in expanding their structural, morphological, and functional versatility. We conclude with an outlook on current challenges and near-term application opportunities.