Programmable Complex Shape Changing of Polysiloxane Main-Chain Liquid Crystalline Elastomers
Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are shape-morphing materials whose large and reversible shape transformations are caused by the coupling between the mobile anisotropic properties of liquid crystal (LC) units and the rubber elastic of polymer networks. Their shape-changing behaviors under certain st...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/12/4858 |
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| author | Yuhe Zhang Xiuxiu Wang Wenlong Yang Huixuan Yan Xinyu Zhang Dongxu Han Yifan He Chensha Li Liguo Sun |
| author_facet | Yuhe Zhang Xiuxiu Wang Wenlong Yang Huixuan Yan Xinyu Zhang Dongxu Han Yifan He Chensha Li Liguo Sun |
| author_sort | Yuhe Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are shape-morphing materials whose large and reversible shape transformations are caused by the coupling between the mobile anisotropic properties of liquid crystal (LC) units and the rubber elastic of polymer networks. Their shape-changing behaviors under certain stimuli are largely directed by the LC orientation; therefore, various strategies have been developed to spatially modulate the LC alignments. However, most of these methods are limited as they require complex fabrication technologies or have intrinsic limitations in applicability. To address this issue, programmable complex shape changes in some LCE types, such as polysiloxane side-chain LCEs, thiol-acrylate main-chain LCEs, etc., were achieved by using a mechanical alignment programming process coupled with two-step crosslinking. Here, we report a polysiloxane main-chain LCE with programmable 2- and 3D shape-changing abilities that were created by mechanically programming the polydomain LCE with two crosslinking steps. The resulting LCEs exhibited a reversible thermal-induced shape transformation between the initial and programmed shapes due to the two-way memory between the first and second network structures. Our findings expand on the applications of LCE materials in actuators, soft robotics, and smart structures where arbitrary and easily programmed shape morphing is needed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:06:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-959f21e9a84a444eab6fd6b2b277af6d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:06:26Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-959f21e9a84a444eab6fd6b2b277af6d2023-11-18T11:51:20ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492023-06-012812485810.3390/molecules28124858Programmable Complex Shape Changing of Polysiloxane Main-Chain Liquid Crystalline ElastomersYuhe Zhang0Xiuxiu Wang1Wenlong Yang2Huixuan Yan3Xinyu Zhang4Dongxu Han5Yifan He6Chensha Li7Liguo Sun8Key Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, ChinaKey Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, ChinaDepartment of Applied Science, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin 150080, ChinaKey Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, ChinaKey Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, ChinaKey Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, ChinaInstitute of Regulatory Science, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, ChinaKey Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, ChinaKey Laboratory of Chemical Engineering Process and Technology for High-Efficiency Conversion School of Chemistry and Material Science, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, ChinaLiquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are shape-morphing materials whose large and reversible shape transformations are caused by the coupling between the mobile anisotropic properties of liquid crystal (LC) units and the rubber elastic of polymer networks. Their shape-changing behaviors under certain stimuli are largely directed by the LC orientation; therefore, various strategies have been developed to spatially modulate the LC alignments. However, most of these methods are limited as they require complex fabrication technologies or have intrinsic limitations in applicability. To address this issue, programmable complex shape changes in some LCE types, such as polysiloxane side-chain LCEs, thiol-acrylate main-chain LCEs, etc., were achieved by using a mechanical alignment programming process coupled with two-step crosslinking. Here, we report a polysiloxane main-chain LCE with programmable 2- and 3D shape-changing abilities that were created by mechanically programming the polydomain LCE with two crosslinking steps. The resulting LCEs exhibited a reversible thermal-induced shape transformation between the initial and programmed shapes due to the two-way memory between the first and second network structures. Our findings expand on the applications of LCE materials in actuators, soft robotics, and smart structures where arbitrary and easily programmed shape morphing is needed.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/12/4858polysiloxane liquid crystalline elastomerprogrammable shape morphingtwo-way network memorymechanical programming processtwo-step crosslinking |
| spellingShingle | Yuhe Zhang Xiuxiu Wang Wenlong Yang Huixuan Yan Xinyu Zhang Dongxu Han Yifan He Chensha Li Liguo Sun Programmable Complex Shape Changing of Polysiloxane Main-Chain Liquid Crystalline Elastomers Molecules polysiloxane liquid crystalline elastomer programmable shape morphing two-way network memory mechanical programming process two-step crosslinking |
| title | Programmable Complex Shape Changing of Polysiloxane Main-Chain Liquid Crystalline Elastomers |
| title_full | Programmable Complex Shape Changing of Polysiloxane Main-Chain Liquid Crystalline Elastomers |
| title_fullStr | Programmable Complex Shape Changing of Polysiloxane Main-Chain Liquid Crystalline Elastomers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Programmable Complex Shape Changing of Polysiloxane Main-Chain Liquid Crystalline Elastomers |
| title_short | Programmable Complex Shape Changing of Polysiloxane Main-Chain Liquid Crystalline Elastomers |
| title_sort | programmable complex shape changing of polysiloxane main chain liquid crystalline elastomers |
| topic | polysiloxane liquid crystalline elastomer programmable shape morphing two-way network memory mechanical programming process two-step crosslinking |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/12/4858 |
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