IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v14y2023i1d10.1038_s41467-023-36426-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Polymer-dispersed liquid crystal elastomers as moldable shape-programmable material

Author

Listed:
  • Matej Bobnar

    (Jožef Stefan Institute, Solid State Physics Department)

  • Nikita Derets

    (Jožef Stefan Institute, Solid State Physics Department
    Division of Physics of Dielectrics and Semiconductors)

  • Saide Umerova

    (Jožef Stefan Institute, Solid State Physics Department)

  • Valentina Domenici

    (Università degli studi di Pisa)

  • Nikola Novak

    (Jožef Stefan Institute, Solid State Physics Department)

  • Marta Lavrič

    (Jožef Stefan Institute, Solid State Physics Department)

  • George Cordoyiannis

    (Jožef Stefan Institute, Solid State Physics Department)

  • Boštjan Zalar

    (Jožef Stefan Institute, Solid State Physics Department
    Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School)

  • Andraž Rešetič

    (Jožef Stefan Institute, Solid State Physics Department)

Abstract

The current development of soft shape-memory materials often results in materials that are typically limited to the synthesis of thin-walled specimens and usually rely on complex, low-yield manufacturing techniques to fabricate macro-sized, solid three-dimensional objects. However, such geometrical limitations and slow production rates can significantly hinder their practical implementation. In this work, we demonstrate a shape-memory composite material that can be effortlessly molded into arbitrary shapes or sizes. The composite material is made from main-chain liquid crystal elastomer (MC-LCE) microparticles dispersed in a silicone polymer matrix. Shape-programmability is achieved via low-temperature induced glassiness and hardening of MC-LCE inclusions, which effectively freezes-in any mechanically instilled deformations. Once thermally reset, the composite returns to its initial shape and can be shape-programmed again. Magnetically aligning MC-LCE microparticles prior to curing allows the shape-programmed artefacts to be additionally thermomechanically functionalized. Therefore, our material enables efficient morphing among the virgin, thermally-programmed, and thermomechanically-controlled shapes.

Suggested Citation

  • Matej Bobnar & Nikita Derets & Saide Umerova & Valentina Domenici & Nikola Novak & Marta Lavrič & George Cordoyiannis & Boštjan Zalar & Andraž Rešetič, 2023. "Polymer-dispersed liquid crystal elastomers as moldable shape-programmable material," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-36426-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36426-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-36426-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-023-36426-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yubing Guo & Jiachen Zhang & Wenqi Hu & Muhammad Turab Ali Khan & Metin Sitti, 2021. "Shape-programmable liquid crystal elastomer structures with arbitrary three-dimensional director fields and geometries," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Takuya Ohzono & Kaoru Katoh & Hiroyuki Minamikawa & Mohand O. Saed & Eugene M. Terentjev, 2021. "Internal constraints and arrested relaxation in main-chain nematic elastomers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Andraž Rešetič & Jerneja Milavec & Blaž Zupančič & Valentina Domenici & Boštjan Zalar, 2016. "Polymer-dispersed liquid crystal elastomers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-10, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. D. Mistry & N. A. Traugutt & B. Sanborn & R. H. Volpe & L. S. Chatham & R. Zhou & B. Song & K. Yu & K. N. Long & C. M. Yakacki, 2021. "Soft elasticity optimises dissipation in 3D-printed liquid crystal elastomers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Xiaofang Zhang & Saewon Kang & Katarina Adstedt & Minkyu Kim & Rui Xiong & Juan Yu & Xinran Chen & Xulin Zhao & Chunhong Ye & Vladimir V. Tsukruk, 2022. "Uniformly aligned flexible magnetic films from bacterial nanocelluloses for fast actuating optical materials," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Zhongguo Ren & Chen Xin & Kaiwen Liang & Heming Wang & Dawei Wang & Liqun Xu & Yanlei Hu & Jiawen Li & Jiaru Chu & Dong Wu, 2024. "Femtosecond laser writing of ant-inspired reconfigurable microbot collectives," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-36426-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.