Localised actuation in composites containing carbon nanotubes and liquid crystalline elastomers.
A liquid crystalline elastomer-carbon nanotube (LCE-CNT) composite displays a reversible shape change property in response to light. The development of some systems such as tactile devices requires localised actuation of this material. A method is reported that combines mechanical stretching and thermal crosslinking of an LCE-CNT for creating sufficiently well-aligned liquid crystal units to produce localised actuation. The method demonstrates that it is feasible to optically drive a LCE-CNT film within a localised area, since only the walls of the stretched parts of the film contain aligned LC domains.
Instituto de Microelectrónica de Barcelona IMB-CNM (CSIC), Campus UAB, Barcelona, 08193, Spain. carlos.camargo@imb-cnm.csic.es
Carlos J
CJ
Camargo
Humberto
H
Campanella
Jean E
JE
Marshall
Núria
N
Torras
Kirill
K
Zinoviev
Eugene M
EM
Terentjev
Jaume
J
Esteve
D020724:Elastomers / Q000737:chemistry*; D008027:Light; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
D020724:Elastomers; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon