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A Glassy Bending‐Mode Polymeric Actuator Which Deforms in Response to Solvent Polarity
Author(s) -
Harris Kenneth D.,
Bastiaansen Cees W. M.,
Broer Dirk J.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
macromolecular rapid communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.348
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1521-3927
pISSN - 1022-1336
DOI - 10.1002/marc.200600342
Subject(s) - bending , materials science , polymer , solvent , polarity (international relations) , actuator , anisotropy , acetone , composite material , chemical physics , liquid crystal , crystal (programming language) , polar , swelling , polymer chemistry , optics , chemistry , organic chemistry , optoelectronics , physics , biochemistry , computer science , electrical engineering , cell , programming language , engineering , astronomy
Summary: We investigate a series of glassy polymer actuators which are found to bend rapidly and reversibly in response to changes in the solvent environment. The actuators are based on hydrogen‐bonded liquid crystal networks, and bending motion is created using director profiles engineered to take advantage of the network swelling anisotropy. Strongly polar solvents easily swell the network, forcing bending in one direction, while the less polar solvents extract water to force bending in the opposite direction.Shape variation of twisted configuration liquid crystal polymer films in acetone and water.