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Novel Generation of Liquid Crystalline Photo‐Actuators Based on Stretched Porous Polyethylene Films
Author(s) -
Ryabchun Alexander,
Bobrovsky Alexey,
Stumpe Joachim,
Shibaev Valery
Publication year - 2012
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.201100837
Subject(s) - materials science , actuator , fabrication , azobenzene , polymer , porosity , polyethylene , deformation (meteorology) , bending , composite material , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology , electrical engineering , engineering
The preparation of photo‐actuators based on stretched porous polyethylene and an azobenzene‐containing liquid crystalline polymer network is reported for the first time. It is revealed that this kind of photo‐actuator possesses the following advantages: the lack of a need for using aligning coatings and cells preparation, high deformation of the actuator and its complete reversibility, good mechanical properties, and relatively low cost of fabrication. In addition some kinetic and thermodynamic features of the bending and unbending processes have been studied.