Free-Form Liquid Crystal Elastomers via Embedded 4D Printing

McDougall, Luke; Herman, Jeremy; Huntley, Emily; Leguizamon, Samuel; Cook, Adam; White, Timothy; Kaehr, Bryan; Roach, Devin J.

doi:10.1021/acsami.3c14783

Cited by 10 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…Nonetheless, the combination of active LCE materials and passive support materials offers a promising approach for the construction of 3D LCE actuators (Figure f). Recently, the preparation of 3D LCEs has also been achieved by extruding the LCE ink into the gel matrix using DIW printing …”

Section: D Printing Of Liquid Crystal Elastomersmentioning

confidence: 99%

4D Printing of Shape-Morphing Liquid Crystal Elastomers

Zang,

Fu,

Cheng

et al. 2024

Chem Bio Eng.

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In nature, biological systems can sense environmental changes and alter their performance parameters in real time to adapt to environmental changes. Inspired by these, scientists have developed a range of novel shape-morphing materials. Shape-morphing materials are a kind of "intelligent" materials that exhibit responses to external stimuli in a predetermined way and then display a preset function. Liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) is a typical representative example of shape-morphing materials. The emergence of 4D printing technology can effectively simplify the preparation process of shape-morphing LCEs, by changing the printing material compositions and printing conditions, enabling precise control and macroscopic design of the shape-morphing modes. At the same time, the layer-by-layer stacking method can also endow the shape-morphing LCEs with complex, hierarchical orientation structures, which gives researchers a great degree of design freedom. 4D printing has greatly expanded the application scope of shape-morphing LCEs as soft intelligent materials. This review systematically reports the recent progress of 3D/4D printing of shape-morphing LCEs, discusses various 4D printing technologies, synthesis methods and actuation modes of 3D/4D printed LCEs, and summarizes the opportunities and challenges of 3D/4D printing technologies in preparing shape-morphing LCEs.

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Section: D Printing Of Liquid Crystal Elastomersmentioning

confidence: 99%

4D Printing of Shape-Morphing Liquid Crystal Elastomers

Zang,

Fu,

Cheng

et al. 2024

Chem Bio Eng.

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show abstract

“…These materials demonstrate elastic properties, permitting reversible deformation when subjected to mechanical forces, while also possessing the capability to react to particular stimuli such as changes in temperature, light exposure, or pH levels. Within the realm of 4D printing, smart elastomers serve as key components in generating objects endowed with dynamic shape-shifting abilities [28]. During the printing process, the desired shape changes are encoded into the material's structure.…”

Section: Smart Elastomersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the Horizons of Four-Dimensional Printing Technology in Dentistry

Palanisamy

2024

Cureus

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In dentistry, the integration of additive manufacturing, particularly 3D printing, has marked significant progress. However, the emergence of 4D printing, which allows materials to change shape dynamically in response to stimuli, opens up new avenues for innovation. This review sheds light on recent advancements and potential applications of 4D printing in dentistry, delving into the fundamental principles and materials involved. It emphasizes the versatility of shape-changing polymers and composites, highlighting their ability to adapt dynamically. Furthermore, the review explores the challenges and opportunities in integrating 4D printing into dental practice, including the customization of dental prosthetics, orthodontic devices, and drug delivery systems and also probing into the potential benefits of utilizing stimuli-responsive materials to improve patient comfort, treatment outcomes, and overall efficiency and the review discusses current limitations and future directions, emphasizing the importance of standardized fabrication techniques, biocompatible materials, and regulatory considerations. Owing to its diverse applications and advantages, 4D printing technology is poised to transform multiple facets of dental practice, thereby fostering the development of healthcare solutions that are more tailored, effective, and centered around patient needs.

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Monodomain Liquid‐Crystal Elastomer Lattices for Broad Strain‐Rate Mechanical Damping

Bischoff,

Bawcutt,

Sorkin

et al. 2024

Adv Eng Mater

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Designing structures that effectively dissipate energy across a broad range of mechanical loading rates, including those from compression, shock, and vibration, poses a significant engineering challenge. In this study, liquid‐crystal elastomers (LCEs), which possess anisotropic properties due to the alignment of their polymer backbone, are explored. As a result, LCEs exhibit a soft elastic response under mechanical loading, making them ideal for energy dissipation. Advances in additive manufacturing (AM) enable simple fabrication of foamlike dissipative structures with complex lattice geometries. Herein, direct ink write 3D printing, an extrusion AM method, is used to fabricate aligned, monodomain LCE lattice structures for broad strain‐rate mechanical damping. In this work, it is shown that these structures can dissipate strain energy in quasi‐static environments, comparable to traditional elastomeric lattices, and provide improved damping under high strain‐rate drop testing due to LCE soft elasticity. Additionally, under dynamic mechanical vibration, monodomain LCE lattices enhance damping at structural natural frequencies and provide high‐frequency attenuation. In these findings, a promising method is presented for fabricating mechanical damping devices that effectively dissipate energy across a broad range of loading rates.

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Free-Form Liquid Crystal Elastomers via Embedded 4D Printing

Cited by 10 publications

References 59 publications

4D Printing of Shape-Morphing Liquid Crystal Elastomers

4D Printing of Shape-Morphing Liquid Crystal Elastomers

Exploring the Horizons of Four-Dimensional Printing Technology in Dentistry

Monodomain Liquid‐Crystal Elastomer Lattices for Broad Strain‐Rate Mechanical Damping

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