Liquid crystal elastomers with magnetic actuation

Abstract

Magneto-active liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are accessible by the incorporation of superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles into oriented nematic sidechain LCEs and offer a contactless activation pathway to the nematic-to-isotrope transition by local magnetic heating in external fields. In magneto-mechanical measurements, a sample contraction of up to 30% is observed under field influence, with full reversibility when the field is switched off. The load evolved reaches 60 kPa and more. The ability of the materials to respond to a contactless electromagnetic stimulus with a well-defined contraction can be of use for various actuator applications. Copyright © 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.