A thermomechanical training method is reported to increase the network strand rigidity of triblock copolymer elastomers, leading to significantly enhanced electro-actuation performance.

A stretched elastomer film generally will recover its original flat shape after releasing the applied force due to elasticity. Here, stretch-activated flat-to-3D shape-morphing composite elastomers by local mismatches of elasticity and plasticity, is reported. The elasticity/plasticity in a flat conventional elastomer film is spatially regulated by local swelling of a melted small molecule which is crystallizable at room temperature. Being released from a stretch, the patterned flat composite elastomer films transform into preset complex 3D shapes. Importantly, the shape-morphing is reversible, reprogrammable, and predictable, which provides a versatile and sustainable platform for the design of soft morphing devices.

No abstract