title: Stimuli-Responsive Polymers for Actuation.
abstract: A variety of stimuli-responsive polymers have been developed and used as actuators and/or artificial muscles, with the movement being driven by an external stimulus, such as electrical potential. This Review highlights actuators constructed from liquid-crystal elastomers, dielectric elastomers, ionic polymers, and conducting polymers. The Review covers recent examples of a variety of actuators generated from these materials and their utility. The mechanism of actuation will be detailed for most examples in order to stimulate possible future research, and lead to new applications and advanced applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2G2, Canada.
authors.forename: Qiang Matthew
authors.initials: QM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2G2, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Serpe
mesh_terms: D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers
keywords: actuation; artificial muscles; block copolymers; mechanochemistry; stimuli-responsive polymers