Design, synthesis, and assembly of composite liquid crystal elastomer fibers

复合液晶弹性体纤维的设计、合成和组装

• 批准号: 2104841
• 负责人: Shu Yang
• 金额: $ 46.28万
• 依托单位: University of Pennsylvania
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-08-01 至 2025-07-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2104841&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Design; synthesis; assembly; composite; liquid

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:Soft materials that can dramatically change size, shape from two-dimensional (2D) to three-dimensional (3D), volume, and physical properties in response to external stimuli are of great interest for a wide range of potential applications. Plants can achieve complex responsive morphing via a pre-programmed anisotropic deformation of cell walls, which are made of hierarchically arranged fibrous polymers of different stiffness. This project aims to mimic the cell wall structures and functions by programming the anisotropy in fibrous polymers, while exploring molecular heterogeneity and phase separation that are ubiquitous in biology. The research will foster synergistic interactions across disciplines of polymer science and engineering, soft matter physics, and mechanical engineering to develop complex, multi-component, multi-phased networks. The research outcome will lead to potential applications in next generation smart sensors, actuators, soft robots, smart wearables, and 3D displays. It will also act as an effective tool to recruit and train students at all levels. Special emphasis will be given to underrepresented groups to carry out research on campus. The latest research results will be showcased at the Philadelphia Materials Day and Penn Science Café Program. Shape morphing and reshaping of the polymer networks will create a significant outreach opportunity to excite the general public, thereby provoking and engaging interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). A symposium will be organized to feature research outcome and facilitate interactions with researchers from academic, industrial and national labs.TECHNICAL SUMMARY:The planned research is based on multi-pronged activities, including design, synthesis, assembly, fabrication, characterization, and property optimization of a unique set of environmentally responsive polymers. These are liquid crystal elastomers and their composites in the form of fibers with precisely controlled compositions, molecular orientations, architectures and mechanical responses from nano- to macroscales. Importantly, the research will offer a holistic view on how to dynamically configure the material’s intrinsic properties at the molecular level, that is chemical composition, phase separation, and crosslinking gradient, while keeping sights of geometric controls at the micro- to macroscale in the form of cylindrical confinement. The multi-component, multi-phased networks will broaden the materials palette to create more complex structures with precisely controlled anisotropy in material elasticity. Complex shapes in response to an external stimulus will be created to mimic plant cell wall structures and functions, with bonuses such as tunable photonic colors and mechanical adaptivity. The research outcome will enrich fundamental knowledge that relates the locally controllable degrees of freedom to the global geometries, shapes and shapeshifting paths. The insights could contribute to the development of the next generation composite fibers for potential applications such as smart sensors, actuators, 3D displays, soft robots, and smart textiles. .This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

非技术摘要：软材料可以响应外部刺激而显着改变尺寸、形状（从二维 (2D) 到三维 (3D)）、体积和物理特性，因此具有广泛的潜在应用价值植物可以通过细胞壁的预编程各向异性变形来实现复杂的响应变形，细胞壁由不同硬度的分层排列的纤维聚合物制成。该项目旨在通过编程来模拟细胞壁的结构和功能。该研究将促进聚合物科学与工程、软物质物理和机械工程跨学科的协同相互作用，以开发复杂、多组分、多相的纤维聚合物的各向异性，同时探索生物学中普遍存在的分子异质性和相分离。该研究成果将带来下一代智能传感器、执行器、软机器人、智能可穿戴设备和 3D 显示器的潜在应用，也将成为招募和培训学生的有效工具。将特别重视代表性不足的群体在校园内开展研究，最新的研究成果将在费城材料日和宾夕法尼亚大学科学咖啡馆项目上展示，这将创造一个重要的推广机会。为了激发公众的兴趣，激发和吸引对科学、技术、工程和数学 (STEM) 的兴趣，将组织一次研讨会，以展示研究成果并促进与学术界、工业界和国家研究人员的互动。技术摘要：计划的研究基于多管齐下的活动，包括一组独特的环境响应聚合物的设计、合成、组装、制造、表征和性能优化，这些聚合物是液晶弹性体及其复合材料。重要的是，该研究将为如何在分子上动态配置材料的固有特性提供全面的视角。水平，即化学成分、相分离和交联梯度，同时以圆柱形限制的形式关注微观到宏观的几何控制，多组分、多相网络将拓宽材料的范围，以创造更多的材料。材料弹性具有精确控制的各向异性的复杂结构将被创建以模仿植物细胞壁的结构和功能，并具有可调节的光子颜色和机械适应性等优点。研究成果将丰富。将局部可控自由度与全局几何形状、形状和变形路径联系起来的基础知识有助于开发下一代复合纤维，用于智能传感器、执行器、3D 显示器、软机器人等潜在应用。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

项目成果

Multi-functional liquid crystal elastomer composites

• DOI: 10.1063/5.0075471
• 发表时间: 2022-03
• 期刊: Applied Physics Reviews
• 影响因子: 15
• 作者: Yuchen Wang;Jiaqi Liu;Shu Yang

3D‐Printed Photoresponsive Liquid Crystal Elastomer Composites for Free‐Form Actuation

• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202210614
• 发表时间: 2022-11
• 期刊: Advanced Functional Materials
• 影响因子: 19
• 作者: Yuchen Wang;Rui Yin;Lishuai Jin;Mingzhu Liu;Yuchong Gao;J. Raney;Shu Yang

Programming Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Networks with Dynamic Covalent Bonds

• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202304769
• 发表时间: 2023-07-07
• 期刊: ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
• 影响因子: 19
• 作者: Jin，Binjie;Yang，Shu
• 通讯作者: Yang，Shu

Self-Folding Liquid Crystal Network Filaments Patterned with Vertically Aligned Mesogens

• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c14947
• 发表时间: 2022-10-25
• 期刊: ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
• 影响因子: 9.5
• 作者: Kim, Dae Seok;Lee, Young-Joo;Yang, Shu
• 通讯作者: Yang, Shu