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3D Microstructures of Liquid Crystal Networks with Programmed Voxelated Director Fields

The shape-shifting behavior of liquid crystal networks (LCNs) and elastomers (LCEs) is a result of an interplay between their initial geometrical shape and their molecular alignment. For years, reliance on either one-step in situ or two-step film processing techniques has limited the shape-change tr...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Guo, Yubing, Shahsavan, Hamed, Sitti, Metin
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: 2020
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7610484/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32767434
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adma.202002753
Descripción
Sumario:The shape-shifting behavior of liquid crystal networks (LCNs) and elastomers (LCEs) is a result of an interplay between their initial geometrical shape and their molecular alignment. For years, reliance on either one-step in situ or two-step film processing techniques has limited the shape-change transformations from 2D to 3D geometries. The combination of various fabrication techniques, alignment methods, and chemical formulations developed in recent years has introduced new opportunities to achieve 3D-to-3D shape-transformations in large scales, albeit the precise control of local molecular alignment in microscale 3D constructs remains a challenge. Here, the voxel-by-voxel encoding of nematic alignment in 3D microstructures of LCNs produced by two-photon polymerization using high-resolution topographical features is demonstrated. 3D LCN microstructures (suspended films, coils, and rings) with designable 2D and 3D director fields with a resolution of 5 μm are achieved. Different shape transformations of LCN microstructures with the same geometry but dissimilar molecular alignments upon actuation are elicited. This strategy offers higher freedom in the shape-change programming of 3D LCN microstructures and expands their applicability in emerging technologies, such as small-scale soft robots and devices and responsive surfaces.