Guided Folding of Nematic Liquid Crystal Elastomer Sheets into 3D via Patterned 1D Microchannels

Two‐dimensional liquid‐crystal elastomer (LCE) sheets with preprogrammed topological defects are prepared by aligning liquid‐crystal monomers within micropatterned epoxy channels, followed by photopolymerization. Upon heating, the LCE films form various three‐dimensional structures in agreement with...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Advanced materials (Weinheim) 2016-11, Vol.28 (43), p.9637-9643
Main Authors: Xia, Yu, Cedillo-Servin, Gerardo, Kamien, Randall D., Yang, Shu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Actuators
Bedding
Channels
Crystal defects
Elastomers
guided folding
micro-channels
Monomers
Nematic crystals
nematic liquid crystal elastomers
patterning topological defects
Sheets
templating
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Summary:Two‐dimensional liquid‐crystal elastomer (LCE) sheets with preprogrammed topological defects are prepared by aligning liquid‐crystal monomers within micropatterned epoxy channels, followed by photopolymerization. Upon heating, the LCE films form various three‐dimensional structures in agreement with theoretical design. The miniaturized LCE actuators offer large‐area work capacities (≈1.05 J m–2) to lift over 700 times their own weight.
ISSN:0935-9648
1521-4095
DOI:10.1002/adma.201603751