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Electroresponsive Ionic Liquid Crystal Elastomers
Author(s) -
Feng Chenrun,
Rajapaksha Chathuranga P. Hemantha,
Cedillo Jesus M.,
Piedrahita Camilo,
Cao Jinwei,
Kaphle Vikash,
Lüssem Björn,
Kyu Thein,
Jákli Antal
Publication year - 2019
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.201900299
Subject(s) - elastomer , materials science , bending , ionic liquid , liquid crystal , voltage , ionic bonding , electroactive polymers , artificial muscle , polymer , soft robotics , nanotechnology , optoelectronics , composite material , actuator , computer science , ion , chemistry , electrical engineering , organic chemistry , artificial intelligence , engineering , catalysis
This paper describes the preparation, physical properties, and electric bending actuation of a new class of active materials—ionic liquid crystal elastomers (iLCEs). It is demonstrated that iLCEs can be actuated by low‐frequency AC or DC voltages of less than 1 V. The bending strains of the unoptimized first iLCEs are already comparable to the well‐developed ionic electroactive polymers. Additionally, iLCEs exhibit several novel and superior features, such as the alignment that increases the performance of actuation, the possibility of preprogrammed actuation patterns at the level of the cross‐linking process, and dual (thermal and electric) actuations in hybrid samples. Since liquid crystal elastomers are also sensitive to magnetic fields and can also be light sensitive, iLCEs have far‐reaching potentials toward multiresponsive actuations that may have so far unmatched properties in soft robotics, sensing, and biomedical applications.