Herein, we report that liquid crystal elastomers dramatically increase in stiffness by up to 90 % under low-amplitude, repetitive (dynamic) compression. Such stiffening behavior is common in biological tissues but rare in synthetic elastomers. Through combination of 2D-WAXD, dynamic mechanical analysis and polarizing optical microscopy, we demonstrate that stiffness increase is directly influenced by the liquid crystal content of elastomers, the presence of a nematic liquid crystal phase and the use of a dynamic as opposed to static deformation.

Dynamic self-strengthening in liquid crystal elastomers

245th National Meeting (2013)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.