Ionic Liquid Crystalline Elastomers Actuated by Low Electric Field

ORAL

Abstract

Over the past two decades Liquid Crystalline Elastomers (LCEs) with anisotropic properties attracted immense interest for their superior responsibility to various external stimuli. Hybrid aligned LCE films have anisotropy of thermal extension coefficient and dielectric properties in top and bottom sides, leading to large thermally and/or optically induced bend. Electric field induced bending via Maxwell stress from dielectric coupling of insulating LCEs requires electric fields close to electric breakdown, thus limiting their applications. In ionic electroactive polymers (IEAPs), ion flow causes asymmetric volume change and generates large bending even at low (~1V) voltages. In this work ionic liquids (ILs) are introduced into hybrid aligned LCE films to combine spatial anisotropic properties of hybrid alignment in LCEs with charge separation dynamics of ionic EAPs. We demonstrate that charge separation in LCE-IL system is capable for low electric field induced flexing or flexing-induced electricity effect. Additionally, ion motion induced electro-thermomechanical effects that enable spatial deformations by varying directors of LCEs are also presented.

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Presenters

  • Chenrun Feng

    Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University,Kent, OH 44240, USA

Authors

  • Chenrun Feng

    Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University,Kent, OH 44240, USA

  • C.P.Hemantha Rajapaksha

    Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University

  • Camilo Piedrahita

    The University of Akron, Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron, Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, OH 44325, USA

  • Jinwei Cao

    The University of Akron, Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron, Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, OH 44325, USA

  • Antal Istvan Jakli

    Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Department of Physics and Advanced Materials Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH USA, Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Kent State University, Advanced Materials & Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent State University, Department of Physics, Kent State University,Kent, OH 44240, USA

  • Thein Kyu

    The University of Akron, Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron, Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, OH 44325, USA