Thermo-Mechanical Responses of Liquid-Crystal Networks with a Splayed Molecular Organization

• Published in: Advanced functional materials Vol. 15; no. 7; pp. 1155 - 1159
• Main Authors: Mol, G. N., Harris, K. D., Bastiaansen, C. W. M., Broer, D. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 01.07.2005; WILEY‐VCH Verlag
• Subjects: Actuators; Liquid crystals; Stimuli-responsive materials; Structure-property relationships

Films of liquid‐crystal networks with a splayed molecular alignment over their cross‐section display a well‐controlled deformation as a function of temperature. The deformation can be explained in terms of differences in thermal expansion depending on the average molecular orientation of the mesogen...