Four-dimensional printing of liquid crystal elastomers
Abstract
Three-dimensional structures capable of reversible changes in shape, i.e., four-dimensional-printed structures, may enable new generations of soft robotics, implantable medical devices, and consumer products. Here, thermally responsive liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are direct-write printed into 3D structures with a controlled molecular order. Molecular order is locally programmed by controlling the print path used to build the 3D object, and this order controls the stimulus response. Each aligned LCE filament undergoes 40% reversible contraction along the print direction on heating. By printing objects with controlled geometry and stimulus response, magnified shape transformations, for example, volumetric contractions or rapid, repetitive snap-through transitions, are realized.
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Voxelated LCEs capable of actuating reversibly and exhibiting large work capacities have been produced in thick-film geometries about 1 mm thick via 3D printing.
“Recently, voxelated LCEs, capable of actuating reversibly and exhibiting large work capacities, have been produced in thick-film geometries (about 1 mm thick) via 3D printing [200-204].”
From Two-Way and Multiple-Way Shape Memory Polymers for Soft Robotics: An Overview (2020) · cites this paper as [200]
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- Authors
- Ambulo, C. P., Burroughs, J. J., Boothby, J. M., Kim, H., Shankar, M. R., & Ware, T. H.
- Affiliations
- The University of Texas at Dallas (US)
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- Corresponding author
- Ware, Taylor H.
- Venue
- ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2017-10-11
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 42
- Pages
- 37332-37339
- ISSN
- 1944-8244 (ISSN-L)
- 1944-8252
- OpenAlex
- W2761732384
- Cited by
- 508
- References
- 50
- Citations by year
- 2026: 42 · 2025: 56 · 2024: 62 · 2023: 58 · 2022: 77 · 2021: 66 · 2020: 72 · 2019: 50 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 2
- FWCI
- 31.21
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research (FA9550-14-1-0229, FA9550-17-1-0328)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Advanced Materials and Mechanics
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials › Liquid Crystal Research Advancements
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Polymers and Plastics › Polymer composites and self-healing
- Keywords
- 4D printing, liquid crystal elastomers, temperature-responsive materials, shape transformation, volumetric contraction, soft robotics, stimuli-responsive materials
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