Thermal and photo-actuation in nematic elastomers |
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Authors: | Mark Warner Eugene Terentjev |
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Institution: | Cavendish Laboratory, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK |
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Abstract: | Mono domain nematic elastomers change shape by as much as 400% on being heated from the nematic to isotropic state. The reason is that nematic order, Q, elongates the distribution of chains and thus the network that they form. Experimental evidence for this, and simple theory is presented. A novel method to change Q, and hence obtain an analogous elastic strain, is to bend the nematic's rods by photoisomerization. On absorbing a photon, photochromes such as azo rods leave the (straight) trans state and adopt the cis (bent) form. We show data and give simple theory to explain this remarkable, reversible elastic phenomenon. |
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Keywords: | actuation nematic elastomers photochromes photo-isomerization photo-thermal strains |
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