Eur. Phys. J. E (2008) 25: 83-89
https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2007-10266-4

Regular Article

Thermal diffusion and bending kinetics in nematic elastomer cantilever

Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue, CB3 0HE, Cambridge, UK

^* e-mail: emt1000@cam.ac.uk

Received: 5 October 2007
Accepted: 7 January 2008
Published online: 24 January 2008

Abstract

Vertically aligned monodomain nematic liquid-crystal elastomers contract when heated. If a temperature gradient is applied across the width of such a cantilever, inhomogeneous strain distribution leads to bending motion. We modelled the kinetics of thermally induced bending in the limit of a long thin strip and the predicted time variation of curvature agreed quantitatively with experimental data from samples with a range of critical indices and nematic-isotropic transition temperatures. We also deduced a value for the thermal diffusion coefficient of the elastomer.