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Liquid Crystal Elastomers with Magnetic Actuation
Author(s) -
Winkler Moritz,
Kaiser Andreas,
Krause Simon,
Finkelmann Heino,
Schmidt Annette M.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
macromolecular symposia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.257
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-3900
pISSN - 1022-1360
DOI - 10.1002/masy.201050522
Subject(s) - liquid crystal , materials science , actuator , elastomer , superparamagnetism , magnetic field , artificial muscle , composite material , nanotechnology , condensed matter physics , nuclear magnetic resonance , optoelectronics , electrical engineering , magnetization , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering
Magneto‐active liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are accessible by the incorporation of superparamagnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles into oriented nematic side‐chain LCEs and offer a contactless activation pathway to the nematic‐to‐isotrope transition by local magnetic heating in external fields. In magneto‐mechanical measurements, a sample contraction of up to 30% is observed under field influence, with full reversibility when the field is switched off. The load evolved reaches 60 kPa and more. The ability of the materials to respond to a contactless electromagnetic stimulus with a well‐defined contraction can be of use for various actuator applications.