Liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) are soft, anisotropic materials that exhibit large shape transformations when subjected to various stimuli. Rational design of these materials enables the reversible formation of biomimetic shapes. Here, we demonstrate a facile approach to enhance the out-of-plane shape-changing work capacity of this shape-morphing by an order of magnitude, to nearly 20 J/kg. The enhancement in force output is enabled by the development of a room temperature polymerizable composition used to prepare individual films, organized via directed, photo-patterned self-assembly. The material actuator is shown to displace a load more than 2500× heavier than its own weight nearly 0.5 mm.

Soft lifters via layered liquid-crystal elastomers

2019 Spring National Meeting

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