https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2007-10196-1
Regular Article
Glassy photomechanical liquid-crystal network actuators for microscale devices
1
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Postbus 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
2
Philips Research Laboratories, High Tech Campus 4, 5656AE, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
* e-mail: c.l.v.oosten@tue.nl
Received:
6
February
2007
Accepted:
19
June
2007
Published online:
9
August
2007
In light-driven liquid-crystal network (LCN) actuators, large performance improvements are obtained by varying the orientation of the molecular director through the thickness of the film actuator. Experiments show that sub-millimeter bending radii are achieved using a splayed molecular orientation. Systems with a splayed or twisted nematic (TN) director profile drive greater amplitude and faster bending than uniaxial planar systems with the same chemical composition. The bending radii of these systems are predicted using a simple model including effects of light intensity, material composition and actuator thickness.
PACS: 61.30.-v Liquid crystals – / 61.41.+e Polymers, elastomers, and plastics – / 83.80.Xz Liquid crystals: nematic, cholesteric, smectic, discotic, etc. –
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag, 2007
