Design Parameters of Liquid Crystal Elastomer Multi-Laminates

Liquid crystal polymer networks or elastomers (LCEs) can be surface aligned into complex orientations that produce cooperative deformation and out-of-plane shape transformation.^[1] When subject to thermal stimuli, thermotropic LCE films actuate and display significant weight lifting capabilities that scale with thickness.^[2] Here, we investigate parameters that affect the mechanical output of LCE actuators including thickness, composition, disclination type, and geometrical packing. Specifically, we develop an LCE composition amenable to photoalignment processing that actuates below 70°C. The mechanical response of this material (stroke and force displacement) are contrasted to canonical LCE material systems. The actuation output of the LCE is increased by lamination.^[3] A multi-laminate LCE material actuator over 1mm in thickness is demonstrated, capable of lifting large objects (>1 lb).

[1] T. H. Ware, M. E. McConney, J. J. Wie, V. P. Tondiglia, T. J. White, Science 2015, 347, 982.
[2] C. D. Modes, K. Bhattacharya, M. Warner, Phys. Rev. E - Stat. Nonlinear, Soft Matter Phys. 2010, 81.
[3] T. Guin, M. J. Settle, B. A. Kowalski, A. D. Auguste, R. V Beblo, G. W. Reich, T. J. White, Nat. Commun. 2018, 9, 2531.