Patterned Actuators via Direct Ink Writing of Liquid Crystals.

ABSTRACT: Soft actuators allowing multifunctional, multishape deformations based on single polymer films or bilayers remain challenging to produce. In this contribution, direct ink writing is used for generating patterned actuators, which are in between single- and bilayer films, with multifunctionality and a plurality of possible shape changes in a single object. The key is to use the controlled deposition of a light-responsive liquid crystal ink with direct ink writing to partially cover a foil at strategic locations. We found patterned films with 40% coverage of the passive substrate by an active material outperformed "standard" fully covered bilayers. By patterning the film as two stripes, a range of motions, including left- and right-handed twisting and bending in orthogonal directions, could b

SUBMITTER: Pozo MD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8678986 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature