A group of researchers led by Ohio State University has created an innovative shape-shifting polymer known as a liquid crystalline elastomer ( LCE ). This material, which responds to external stimuli such as light and heat, promises to transform soft robotics, advanced medicine, and smart materials design.
A new polymer inspired by nature
The new polymer mimics natural motions such as twists, tilts, contractions and expansions. According to Xiaoguang Wang, assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Ohio State University, “ liquid crystals have unique properties that other materials cannot achieve .” This ability to self-align and molecularly rearrange themselves allows them to be adapted to a wide variety of applications.
Unlike conventional materials, which typically require multiple components for complex shapes, this polymer can deform in two directions as a single component. These properties make it ideal for soft robots, artificial muscles, advanced biosensors, and next-generation drug delivery systems.
The team of scientists highlighted the molecular design allows for thermal phase changes that rearrange molecules to improve flexibility and ease of fabrication. According to Alan Weible, co-author and graduate researcher, ” our paper opens up new directions for synthesizing multiphase materials .”
If the polymer can be scaled up, it could be important in complex surgeries using soft nanorobots , as well as in the design of artificial joints and advanced medical systems. The project, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and Harvard University, represents an important step toward a new generation of materials.
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Source and photo: Science Daily
