The Polymer Society of Korea

Abstract

Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) have emerged as a powerful material platform for 4D printing, enabling the fabrication of reversibly morphing structures. The key to this capability is the ability to control the orientation of liquid crystal (LC) director fields during fabrication. In this talk, I will present a rapid, room temperature programming strategy for LCEs based on magnetic field-assisted digital light procesing (DLP) printing. A photocurable LCE precursor solution that maintains its nematic phase at room temperature is developed, allowing for fast mesogen alignment within seconds under a magnetic field. I will also present our investigation into the dynamic behavior of mesogens under magnetic fields and the key parameters that influence their alighment. This method enables precise spatial programming of LC director domains within a molecularly continuous elastomeric network, thereby significantly expanding the design space for highly controllable shape morphing LCE systems.