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Layered liquid crystal elastomer actuators

Author

Listed:
  • Tyler Guin

    (Materials and Manufacturing Directorate
    Azimuth Corporation)

  • Michael J. Settle

    (Aerospace Systems Directorate
    University of Dayton Research Institute)

  • Benjamin A. Kowalski

    (Materials and Manufacturing Directorate
    Azimuth Corporation)

  • Anesia D. Auguste

    (Materials and Manufacturing Directorate)

  • Richard V. Beblo

    (Aerospace Systems Directorate
    University of Dayton Research Institute)

  • Gregory W. Reich

    (Aerospace Systems Directorate)

  • Timothy J. White

    (Materials and Manufacturing Directorate)

Abstract

Liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) are soft, anisotropic materials that exhibit large shape transformations when subjected to various stimuli. Here we demonstrate a facile approach to enhance the out-of-plane work capacity of these materials by an order of magnitude, to nearly 20 J/kg. The enhancement in force output is enabled by the development of a room temperature polymerizable composition used both to prepare individual films, organized via directed self-assembly to retain arrays of topological defect profiles, as well as act as an adhesive to combine the LCE layers. The material actuator is shown to displace a load >2500× heavier than its own weight nearly 0.5 mm.

Suggested Citation

  • Tyler Guin & Michael J. Settle & Benjamin A. Kowalski & Anesia D. Auguste & Richard V. Beblo & Gregory W. Reich & Timothy J. White, 2018. "Layered liquid crystal elastomer actuators," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-04911-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04911-4
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    Cited by:

    1. Qingrui Wang & Xiaoyong Tian & Daokang Zhang & Yanli Zhou & Wanquan Yan & Dichen Li, 2023. "Programmable spatial deformation by controllable off-center freestanding 4D printing of continuous fiber reinforced liquid crystal elastomer composites," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Klaudia Dradrach & Michał Zmyślony & Zixuan Deng & Arri Priimagi & John Biggins & Piotr Wasylczyk, 2023. "Light-driven peristaltic pumping by an actuating splay-bend strip," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Yu Cang & Jiaqi Liu & Meguya Ryu & Bartlomiej Graczykowski & Junko Morikawa & Shu Yang & George Fytas, 2022. "On the origin of elasticity and heat conduction anisotropy of liquid crystal elastomers at gigahertz frequencies," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.

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