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Opposite Self-Folding Behavior of Polymeric Photoresponsive Actuators Enabled by a Molecular Approach
摘要： The ability to obtain 3D polymeric objects by a 2D-to-3D shape-shifting method is very appealing for polymer integration with different materials, from metals in electronic devices to cells in biological studies. Such functional reshaping can be achieved through self-folding driven by a strain pattern designed into the molecular network. Among polymeric materials, liquid crystalline networks (LCNs) present an anisotropic molecular structure that can be exploited to tailor internal strain, resulting in a natural non-planar geometry when prepared in the form of flat films. In this article, we analyze the influence of different molecular parameters of the monomers on the spontaneous shape of the polymeric films and their deformation under different stimuli, such as heating or light irradiation. Modifying the alkilic chains of the crosslinkers is a simple and highly effective way to increase the temperature sensitivity of the final actuator, while modifying ester orientation on the aromatic core interestingly acts on the bending direction. Combining such effects, we have demonstrated that LCN stripes made of different monomeric mixtures originate complex non-symmetric deformation under light activation, thus opening up new applications in photonic and robotics.
关键词： photonic actuators,liquid crystalline networks,curvature design,photoresponsive polymers,shape-changing materials
更新于2025-11-21 11:24:58
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Lighta??Driven Liquid Crystalline Networks and Soft Actuators with Degreea??ofa??Freedoma??Controlled Molecular Motors
摘要： Design and fabrication of photomechanical soft actuators has attracted intense scientific interest because of their potential in the manufacture of untethered intelligent soft robots and advanced functional devices. Trifunctional and monofunctional polymerizable molecular motors are judiciously designed and synthesized. Novel light-driven liquid crystalline networks (LCN) are prepared by crosslinking overcrowded-alkene-based molecular motors with different degrees of freedom into the anisotropic LCN. The photoisomerization and thermal helix inversion of light-driven molecular motors are reversible when only the upper part of the molecular motor is linked to the network, endowing the LCN film with remarkable photoactive performance. However, photochemical geometric change of the light-driven molecular motor does not work after crosslinking both the upper and lower part of the motor by polymer chains. Interestingly, it is found that the fastened motor can transfer the light energy into localized heat instead of performing photoisomerization. The light-driven molecular-motor-based LCN soft actuators are demonstrated to function as a grasping hand, where the continuous motions of grasping, moving, lifting, and releasing an object are successfully achieved. This work may provide inspiration to the preparation of next-generation photoactive advanced functional materials toward their wide applications in the areas of photonics, optoelectronics, soft robotics, and beyond.
关键词： liquid crystalline networks,soft robotics,light-driven systems,molecular motors
更新于2025-09-19 17:13:59