液晶高分子材料的新功能:微管执行器及其光控微量液体运动

微量液体的精确操控在生物医药、液体传输等领域具有广泛的应用价值.目前,基于光诱导的毛细作用力操控液体的方法引起了人们极大的兴趣,因为这类方法在操控过程中无需特殊的光学装置和复杂的微组装过程.但是目前报道的方法只适用于少数特定的液体,并且驱动距离短、运动速度慢、局限于直线运动.最近,俞燕蕾等设计了一种新型结构的侧链液晶高分子材料,以此制备了液晶高分子微管执行器,可以通过不对称光致形变诱导毛细作用力,实现了光控各种类型液体按照设计的速度和方向运动,有望在可控微流体传输、微反应系统、微机械系统、芯片实验室等领域展现出巨大的应用价值.     

超分子构筑调控合成结构规整的梯形聚合物及其应用研究

综述了"超分子构筑调控的逐步偶联/聚合法",该方法将高分子化学与超分子化学相结合,利用多种类型的超分子弱键协同作用首先构筑预期的梯形超分子结构,再经聚合得到共价键梯形高分子.利用该方法合成了一系列结构规整的氧桥基和有机桥基梯形聚硅氧烷以及碳基梯形聚酯,并利用侧基间π-π叠加作用实现了对聚合物立体构型控制.扼要介绍了梯形聚合物在先进材料方面的应用,例如梯形聚硅氧烷液晶光致取向膜;由梯形聚硅氧烷合成的管状聚硅氧烷在高室温储存期微电子环氧塑封料方面的应用;以及基于梯形聚硅氧烷的拟筛板聚合物在二阶非线性光学材料方面的应用等.     

光响应形变液晶聚合物的结构与应用

液晶聚合物能够在外界刺激下发生形状变化,是一类重要的柔性智能材料。其中液晶有序排列的改变诱导材料的宏观形变。光响应聚合物具有可远程操作、易于控制等特点,在刺激响应性聚合物的设计中受到了广泛关注。将具有光响应性的基团引入到液晶聚合物体系中,可以得到一系列具有重要应用前景的光致形变材料。本文综述了近年来光响应形变液晶聚合物的研究进展,总结了光响应液晶聚合物的分子设计与响应原理,包括光致异构化响应型、光致生热响应型和多重刺激响应型;介绍了光响应液晶聚合物柔性执行器在仿生功能、能量转换和柔性机器人等领域的应用;展望了未来的研究方向与应用前景。     

偶氮型液晶高分子的研究及应用

偶氮液晶高分子由于其具有特殊的光致异构和光致变色等光学性质,在光信息贮存材料、光开关材料和非线性光学设备材料等领域具有巨大的应用潜力,近年来得到了国内外研究者的广泛关注。本文概述了偶氮型液晶高分子的结构特征,详细介绍了主链型偶氮液晶高分子、侧链型偶氮液晶高分子、树枝状偶氮液晶高分子以及星型偶氮液晶高分子的研究现状及在光储存、光开关及光调制偏振片等方面的应用进展,指出了存在的问题和研究方向。     

光致变形型高分子材料

光致变形型高分子材料以光为激发源,在没有机械接触的情况下,能够快速改变尺寸和形状。本文介绍了光致变形的高分子凝胶、无定形高分子、液晶弹性体和光致形状记忆高分子材料,并对各种材料的光致变形机理进行解释。无定形高分子的光致变形较小,目前研究重点是具有各向异性的液晶弹性体。文中着重介绍了具有偶氮苯介晶基元的液晶弹性体的光致变形研究,在光照下这类材料只要有1%的偶氮苯介晶基元发生顺反异构,就会发生光致变形。     

液晶弹性体刺激形变研究

开发可以通过外部刺激产生机械形变的人工致动材料是一个近年来的研究热点。其中,液晶弹性体因结合了聚合物网络的橡胶弹性和液晶的有序性而具有独特的性质,在热、光、电等的外界刺激下可以产生可逆的形状记忆效应。本文综述了液晶弹性体响应多种外界刺激产生各种形变的行为,主要介绍了有关热致形变液晶弹性体、电致形变液晶弹性体、化学刺激导致形变的液晶弹性体及光致形变液晶弹性体的研究进展,阐述了各类液晶弹性体产生形变的机理包括热致、电致和光致相转变,讨论了影响其响应性能的主要因素,并展望了这一领域的发展前景。     

《液晶高分子材料》专辑序言——老学科的新活力

正19世纪80年代后期,奥地利植物学家Reinitzer和德国物理学家Lehmann共同发现了液晶,创立了液晶科学。20世纪70年代,液晶显示技术实现了革命性突破,风靡全球。液晶高分子的研究始于1937年的生物高分子液晶,随即受到广泛关注,尤其是杜邦公司基于溶致液晶芳香族聚酰胺的液晶纺丝技术在1972年推出的Kevlar系列高性能纤维产品,极大地推动了液晶高分子的飞速发展。近几十年来,基于热致液晶芳香族聚酯的高性能工程塑料如雨后春笋般不断涌现,高性能液晶高分子结构材料也成为全球研究热点。同时,侧链高分子液晶、聚合物分散液晶、聚合物稳定液晶、全息聚合物分散液晶以及新型结构的高分子液晶、超分子液晶在显示、传感、防伪、数据存储和电子封装等领域的应用也成为高性能液晶高分子功能材料的研究亮点。其中让我们倍感骄傲的是,我国科学家周其凤院士于1987年设计、合成了甲壳型液晶高分子,为液晶高分子科学与材料的发展做出了原创性贡献。当前,液晶材料的高分子化、高分子材料的液晶化已成为化学、材料、光学工程和信息工程等相关学科的重要研究方向,尤其近期在光存储、5G通讯领域中的应用备受关注。     

可控交联聚醚醚酮动态流变学行为的研究

聚芳醚酮类材料因其优异的综合性能在许多领域得到广泛应用 [1,2 ] .许多研究者通过提高聚芳醚酮分子链的刚性度来实现进一步提高其使用温度 ,但由于其在高温时流动性下降 ,熔体粘度增大 ,给加工及应用带来很大困难[3] .基于此 ,我们将可在高温或辐照条件下发生交联反应的硫醚结构作为交联点引入到聚醚醚酮主链中 ,合成了可控交联的聚醚醚酮[4 ,5] .聚合物的分子结构及其熔体中分子的内部作用可以用流变学进行研究 .因此 ,我们用动态流变学实验监测跟踪聚合物的交联反应过程 ,研究可控交联聚醚醚酮的交联反应动力学 ,为设计改造分子结构以满…     

有机磁性液晶化合物的研究进展

介绍了磁性液体材料和分子磁体材料的分类和发展;重点评述了近年来出现的一种集磁性和液晶性于一身的新型多功能材料--有机磁性液晶材料的产生、类型、分子结构及研究进展;对有机棒状磁性液晶分子的合成方法和应用前景进行了展望.     

用“超分子板块构筑法”制备有机/无机组装体发光材料

一般说来,高分子材料可以由小分子单体通过化学键结合而成[1],也可以通过非化学键的所谓超分子组装而成[2～4].后者是近年来高分子合成中十分活跃的领域.我们尝试将上述两种方法相结合来设计合成高分子功能材料,利用超分子化学法在设计功能性基团方面的便利性[2,5]和经典化学法在成键方面的有效性,提出了用"超分子结构单元"构筑高分子的方法.     

响应性交联液晶高分子仿生致动器的研究进展

交联液晶高分子兼具液晶取向有序性和交联聚合物熵弹性等特点,能够以动态可调节和可逆的方式来模仿生物体的行为,在仿生器件、柔性机器人、智能表面、生物医药等领域具有良好的应用前景.本综述总结了近几年智能响应性交联液晶高分子在仿生致动器方面的研究进展,从响应性交联液晶高分子的结构和驱动机理出发,讨论了响应性交联液晶高分子的合成工艺、制备技术和成型方法,以及响应性交联液晶高分子对光、热、磁、湿度的响应.此外,介绍了响应性交联液晶高分子致动器在柔性机器人、人工肌肉、微流体运输等领域的应用.最后,对响应性交联液晶高分子的发展前景进行了展望.这项工作主要讨论了响应性交联液晶高分子,旨在为具有新颖功能和更有挑战性的智能微型致动器提供新的设计思路.     

Reprocessable Photodeformable Azobenzene Polymers

Photodeformable azobenzene (azo) polymers are a class of smart polymers that can efficiently convert light energy into mechanical power, holding great promise in various photoactuating applications. They are typically of crosslinked polymer networks with highly oriented azo mesogens embedded inside. Upon exposure to the light of appropriate wavelength, they experience dramatic order parameter change following the configuration change of the azo units. This could result in the generation and accumulation of the gradient microscopic photomechanical force in the crosslinked polymer networks, thus leading to their macroscopic deformation. So far, a great number of photodeformable azo polymers have been developed, including some unoriented ones showing photodeformation based on different mechanisms. Among them, photodeformable azo polymers with dynamic crosslinking networks (and some uncrosslinked ones) have aroused particular interest recently because of their obvious advantages over those with stable chemical crosslinking structures such as high recyclability and reprocessability. In this paper, I provide a detailed overview of the recent progress in such reprocessable photodeformable polymers. In addition, some challenges and perspectives are also presented.     

Deformation of cross-linked liquid crystal polymers by light – from ultraviolet to visible and infrared

ABSTRACT

Collecting and amplifying the nanoscopic molecular motions into macroscopic deformation is the unique property of cross-linked liquid crystal polymers (CLCPs). These materials can directly transfer input light energy into mechanical work when combined with photochromophores, thus fascinating many scientists. This article reviews the macroscopic and microscopic deformation of photoresponsive azobenzene-containing CLCPs and analyses the influence of mesogen alignment and chemical structure on shape change behaviour. We highlight some new methods to trigger the deformation by visible and infrared light instead of ultraviolet one, such as chemical modification of azobenzene and addition of upconversion materials.     

Light‐Switchable Behavior of a Microarray of Azobenzene Liquid Crystal Polymer Induced by Photodeformation

A microarray with a period of about 1 μm was fabricated from a crosslinked liquid crystal polymer (CLCP) containing azobenzene groups by using the replica molding technique. In accordance with the photoinduced deformation of the CLCP induced by the photoisomerization of the azobenzene groups, on‐off switch behavior on the reflection spectra of the microarray was observed by alternate irradiation with UV–Vis light. The reversible switch behavior indicates that the azobenzene CLCP microarray has potential applications in optical actuators.     

Ionic Liquid Crystalline Calixarene with Photo-Switchable Proton Conduction

We have developed a new strategy for the preparation of a light-responsive ionic liquid crystal (LC) that shows photo-switchable proton conduction. The ionic LC consists of a bowl-shaped calix[4]arene core ionically functionalized with azobenzene moieties. The non-covalent architectures were obtained by the formation of ionic salts between the carboxylic acid group of an azo-derivative and the terminal amine groups of a calixarene core. The presence of ionic salts results in a hierarchical self-assembly process that extends to the formation of a nanostructured lamellar LC arrangement (smectic A phase). In this LC phase, the ionic LC calixarene is able to display proton conductive properties, since the ionic nanosegregated areas (formed by the ionic pairs) generate the continuous channels that favor proton transport. The optical and photo-responsive properties were studied by UV-Vis spectroscopy, demonstrating that the azobenzene moieties of the ionic LC undergo reversible (E)-to-(Z) isomerization by irradiation with UV light. Interestingly, this (E)-to-(Z) photoisomerization results in a decrease of the proton conductivity values since the bent-shaped (Z)-isomer disrupts the lamellar LC phase. This isomerization process is totally reversible and leads to an ionic LC material with unique photo-switchable proton conductive properties.     

腰接型侧链液晶弹性体研究进展

液晶弹性体是交联型液晶大分子,兼具液晶取向有序性和交联聚合物熵弹性等特性,在传感器、触发器、微流体装置和仿生器件等方面具有很好的应用前景.制备液晶弹性体的微结构,探索其独特的刺激响应性,是目前液晶弹性体研究的重要方向.侧链液晶弹性体的液晶相态类型取决于其液晶基元和主链的连接方式.腰接型侧链液晶弹性体倾向于形成向列型液晶相,具有较快的响应速度和形变程度,是一类独特的液晶弹性体.本文重点介绍腰接型液晶弹性体微结构(如微米柱、微米线等)的制备;利用金纳米粒子的光热转换效应,实现液晶弹性体光响应性的新途径;以及腰接型侧链液晶弹性体仿生微结构的功能性等.同时还对该领域的发展前景进行了展望.     

A Novel Side-Chain Liquid Crystal Elastomer Exhibiting Anomalous Reversible Shape Change

Liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) have been actively investigated as stimuli-controlled actuators and soft robots. The basis of these applications is the ability of LCEs to undergo a reversible shape change upon a liquid crystalline (LC)-isotropic phase transition. Herein, we report the synthesis of a novel LCE based on a side-chain liquid crystalline polymer (SCLCP). In contrast to known LCEs, this LCE exhibits a striking anomalous shape change. Subjecting a mechanically stretched monodomain strip to LC-disorder phase transition, both the length and width of the strip contract in isotropic phase, and both elongate in LC phase. This thermally induced behaviour is the result of a subtle interplay between the relaxation of polymer main chain oriented along the stretching direction and the disordering of side-group mesogens oriented perpendicularly to the stretching direction. This finding points out potential design of LCEs of this peculiar type and possible applications to exploit.     

Synthesis of a Photoresponsive Liquid‐Crystalline Polymer Containing Azobenzene

The synthesis of an oriented liquid‐crystalline photoresponsive polymer, prepared by polymerization of mono‐ and di‐acrylates, both of which contain azobenzene chromophores, is reported. The prepared free‐standing polymer film shows strong reversible photoinduced deformation upon exposure to unpolarized UV light at 366 nm, as a result of an optically induced isomeric change of the azobenzene moieties in the polymer network. The synthesis process is relatively simple and more efficient compared to conventional ones, and can be used to synthesize other liquid‐crystalline photoresponsive polymers. The use of this photoresponsive polymer film as an optical high‐pass/low‐pass switch under UV or natural light irradiation for a laser beam is demonstrated. This photoresponsive polymer may have applications in robotic systems, artificial muscles, and actuators in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and labs on chips.

     

A Novel Side‐Chain Liquid Crystal Elastomer Exhibiting Anomalous Reversible Shape Change

Liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) have been actively investigated as stimuli‐controlled actuators and soft robots. The basis of these applications is the ability of LCEs to undergo a reversible shape change upon a liquid crystalline (LC)‐isotropic phase transition. Herein, we report the synthesis of a novel LCE based on a side‐chain liquid crystalline polymer (SCLCP). In contrast to known LCEs, this LCE exhibits a striking anomalous shape change. Subjecting a mechanically stretched monodomain strip to LC‐disorder phase transition, both the length and width of the strip contract in isotropic phase, and both elongate in LC phase. This thermally induced behaviour is the result of a subtle interplay between the relaxation of polymer main chain oriented along the stretching direction and the disordering of side‐group mesogens oriented perpendicularly to the stretching direction. This finding points out potential design of LCEs of this peculiar type and possible applications to exploit.