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Updated: Aug 13, 2026
Synthesis of Programmable Main-chain Liquid-crystalline Elastomers Using a Two-stage Thiol-acrylate Reaction
Published on: January 19, 2016
Spatially Programmed Multidimensional and Internal Patterning of
Zhihui Lei1, Yuda Su1, Yue Xu1
1The State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dong Chuan Road, Shanghai200240, P. R. China.
Abstract:
In this study, the in situ multidimensional and internal patterning of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) is achieved via a liquid metal (LM)-induced gelation method, where LM serves as a dynamic template for patterning. The LM-mediated interfacial reactions enable PEDOT:PSS patterns with controllable thickness on universal 0D, 2D, and 3D nonplanar substrates or even in narrow and closed containers. By combining the optical interactions between the upper PEDOT:PSS film and the underlying LM template layer, enhanced photothermal conversion performance and variable structural coloration can be achieved by adjusting the film thickness. Moreover, benefiting from the thermal energy conversion capabilities of both PEDOT:PSS and LM, diverse multilayered actuators with programmable morphing changes, inchworm-like translocation, and fast locomotion (∼24 cm/s) are obtained under multistimuli such as moisture, photothermal heating, magnetic heating, and shifting magnetic field. The color-changing capability further endows the actuators with a visual cue, leading to a synergistic effect of morphing and color changes.
