English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Liquid crystal networks combine the orientational order of liquid crystalswith the elastic properties of polymer networks, leading to a vast applicationpotential in the field of responsive coatings, e.g., for haptic feedback,self-cleaning surfaces and static and dynamic pattern formation. Recentexperimental work has further paved the way toward such applications byrealizing the fast and reversible surface modulation of a liquid crystalnetwork coating upon in-plane actuation with an AC electric field. Here, weconstruct a Landau-type theory for electrically-responsive liquid crystalnetworks and perform Molecular Dynamics simulations to explain the findings ofthese experiments and inform on rational design strategies. Qualitatively, thetheory agrees with our simulations and reproduces the salient experimentalfeatures. We also provide a set of testable predictions: the aspect ratio ofthe nematogens, their initial orientational order when cross-linked into thepolymer network and the cross-linking fraction of the network all increase theplasticization time required for the film to macroscopically deform. Wedemonstrate that the dynamic response to oscillating electric fields ischaracterized by two resonances, which can likewise be influenced by varyingthese parameters, providing an experimental handle to fine-tune device design.

Dynamical Landau-de Gennes Theory for Electrically-Responsive Liquid Crystal Networks