Dynamic Liquid Crystal Elastomers with Robust Mechanical Properties
발표자
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초록
내용
Stimuli-responsive materials are promising for various applications, including actuators, soft robots, and artificial muscles. Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs), in particular, are notable for their ability to achieve large actuation strains and diverse actuation modes. Here, we introduce LCEs integrated with dynamic covalent bonds to overcome the limitations of conventional cross-linked LCEs, resulting in excellent recyclability, reprogrammability, and self-healing capabilities. Additionally, we demonstrate that the mechanical properties of LCEs can be significantly enhanced by modifying the network structures. The improved mechanical properties can potentially extend applications of LCEs into practical actuators and eletronics. Furthermore, a systematic formulation study was conducted to investigate tunable thermal, optical, and mechanical properties of LCEs for various applications.