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LCE Self-regulated Deformability
Nano Tech-mod
Course: SCI 6477 Nano Micro Macro: Adaptive Material Laboratory (with SEAS)
Instructor: Jonathan Grinham, Joanna Aizenberg
Collaborator: Shuyue Li, Xing Zhao
Date: Mar., 2021
Liquid-crystalline elastomers (LCE) materials exhibit good mechanical deformation when subjected to various stimuli (e.g.heat, light, electrical fields), thus offering advantages for many applications such as soft robots and microactuators. Here we propose using a magnetic field to program the orientation of the LC director, which switches between aligned LC mesogens and randomly oriented mesogens.
KEYWORDS:
Liquid Crystal Elastomer, Deformation, Microactuator
OBJECTIVES
Liquid Crystal Elastomers undergo mechanical phase change at molecular scale resulting in microscope actuation. These polymer networks can be activated by a host of stimuli, including light, heat, magnetic, or electrical fields.
Concept
Liquid-crystalline elastomers (LCE) materials exhibit good mechanical deformation when subjected to various stimuli (e.g.heat, light, electrical fields), thus offering advantages for many applications such as soft robots and microactuators. Here we propose using a magnetic field to program the orientation of the LC director, which switches between aligned LC mesogens and randomly oriented mesogens.
Reference:Layered liquid crystal elastomer actuators
Unloaded deformation of LCE laminates
Applications
Reference: Multiresponsive polymeric microstructures with encoded predetermined and self-regulated deformability
Arrays of LCE Microstructures
Thermal-responsive LCE Microplates
Fabrication & Simulation
The LCE prototype is according to the effect of the magnetic field on the material. We propose flexible electromagnetic fields to generate different magnetic fields by changing the strength of the current and the range of energization, so that the material will have various directionalities, and then it can judge the pass/fail of light in different directions.
Unit Prototype Design
Smart City Perception
Fabrication Gallery
Experiment 1: Rapid cooling of LCE Micropillars
Goal: Observe the dynamic response of micropillars actuated by UV light while above and below their glassy state.
UV_on_air
UV_off
UV_on
UV_on_air_high airflow
UV_off_air_off
Experiment 2: Deformation of LCE films
Goal: Investigate the deformation behavior of laminate LCE films.
2 Discs with Hinge
Individual Film
2 Discs Laminated
Bent Observation
Side on Film
Main Chain Film
Experiment 3: Sliding angle measurements
Goal: Investigate the differences in friction of LCE micropillars in their deformed and undeformed state.
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