Rešetič Andraž
Jožef Stefan Institute, Solid State Physics Department, Jamova cesta 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Commun Chem. 2024 Mar 14;7(1):56. doi: 10.1038/s42004-024-01141-2.
Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are shape-morphing materials that demonstrate reversible actuation when exposed to external stimuli, such as light or heat. The actuation's complexity depends heavily on the instilled liquid crystal alignment, programmed into the material using various shape-programming processes. As an unavoidable part of LCE synthesis, these also introduce geometrical and output restrictions that dictate the final applicability. Considering LCE's future implementation in real-life applications, it is reasonable to explore these limiting factors. This review offers a brief overview of current shape-programming methods in relation to the challenges of employing LCEs as soft, shape-memory components in future devices.
液晶弹性体（LCEs）是一种形状可变材料，当暴露于外部刺激（如光或热）时会表现出可逆驱动。驱动的复杂性在很大程度上取决于所注入的液晶排列，这种排列是通过各种形状编程过程编入材料中的。作为LCE合成不可避免的一部分，这些过程也引入了几何和输出限制，这些限制决定了最终的适用性。考虑到LCE在实际应用中的未来实施，探索这些限制因素是合理的。本综述简要概述了当前的形状编程方法，以及在未来设备中使用LCE作为柔软的形状记忆组件所面临的挑战。
