Glassy photomechanical liquid-crystal network actuators for microscale devices.
Eur Phys J E Soft Matter
; 23(3): 329-36, 2007 Jul.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-17687511
ABSTRACT
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.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Photochemistry
/
Photometry
/
Transducers
/
Liquid Crystals
/
Models, Chemical
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Language:
En
Journal:
Eur Phys J E Soft Matter
Journal subject:
BIOFISICA
Year:
2007
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Netherlands