Light-induced bending and smart control of photochromic liquid crystal elastomers

Lihua Jin; Yan Yan; Yongzhong Huo

doi:10.1117/12.779349

14 November 2007 Light-induced bending and smart control of photochromic liquid crystal elastomers

Lihua Jin, Yan Yan, Yongzhong Huo

Proceedings Volume 6423, International Conference on Smart Materials and Nanotechnology in Engineering; 64230W (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.779349
Event: International Conference on Smart Materials and Nanotechnology in Engineering, 2007, Harbin, China

Abstract

Light-induce bending of photochromic LCEs is a newly found phenomenon, with potential applications such as artificial muscles, nano actuators and remote-controllable implements. To simulate this, light-induced bending models of straight and curved beams can be derived from the simple beam theory. The effect of the light is substituted as an effective bending moment. Several examples, with different approximations, boundary conditions, under uniform or nonuniform illuminations, are demonstrated to calculate the curvature, the restraining force or the deflection. Especially, under weak light intensities and low temperature, the analytical expression of the curvature is obtained. A simplified remote controllable grip hand is simulated by the curved beam bending model. We calculate the grip force of the hand to hold a body, controlled by light and heat. The simulation shows that the largest value of grip stress can be about 1Mpa. In order to optimize the light-induced bending, the effects on the effective moment of the parameters, such as the light intensity, the thickness of the beam and the decay distance of the material are further analyzed. It is found that the effective moment is not a monotonic function of these parameters. Therefore, proper light intensity, material and thickness must be chosen to get the largest bending.

Citation Download Citation

Lihua Jin, Yan Yan, and Yongzhong Huo "Light-induced bending and smart control of photochromic liquid crystal elastomers", Proc. SPIE 6423, International Conference on Smart Materials and Nanotechnology in Engineering, 64230W (14 November 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.779349

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