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Soft-elasticity in monodomain liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) is promisingfor impact-absorbing applications where strain energy is ideally absorbed atconstant stress. Conventionally, compressive and impact studies on LCEs havenot been performed given the notorious difficulty synthesizing sufficientlylarge monodomain devices. Here we demonstrate 3D printing bulk ($>cm^3$)monodomain LCE devices using direct ink writing and study their compressivesoft-elasticity over 8 decades of strain rate. At quasi-static rates, themonodomain soft-elastic LCE dissipated 45% of strain energy while comparatormaterials dissipated less than 20%. At strain rates up to $3000~s^{-1}$, oursoft-elastic monodomain LCE consistently performed closest to an ideal-impactabsorber. Drop testing reveals soft-elasticity as a likely mechanism foreffectively reducing the severity of impacts -- with soft elastic LCEs offeringa Gadd Severity Index 40% lower than a comparable isotropic elastomer. Lastly,we demonstrate tailoring deformation and buckling behavior in monodomain LCEsvia the printed director orientation.

Soft-Elasticity Optimises Dissipation in 3D-Printed Liquid Crystal Elastomers