Model predicts bending, curling and rolling of liquid crystal elastomer beams
Model predicts bending, curling and rolling of liquid crystal elastomer beams lead image
Liquid crystal elastomers (LCE) have fascinated researchers for their possible applications in soft actuators, robotics, artificial muscles and biomimetic devices. Modeling and simulation of LCE-based actuators is challenging due to the complex physical phenomena. Potekhina et al. created a simple model for simulation of behaviors of LCE beams under thermal actuation.
The researchers represent the bending and curling behaviors of the LCE beams under a thermal stimulus in a layered 2D-model based on the equivalent thermal expansion effect. The relatively simple method for numerical simulation can be implemented in commercially available software tools.
In addition, not only is the model effective in predicting the deformation of flat LCE beams with uniform thickness, it is also useful for LCE beams with non-trivial geometries, such as a beam with tapered thickness. The model is capable of simulating the behavior of LCE beams in a large range of thicknesses as well as different LCE material compositions.
“Usually, large deformations are difficult to predict with more sophisticated geometrical shapes, such as rolls, but our method is able to predict both bending and the large deformations in curling and rolling of LCE beams,” said author Alissa Potekhina. “It is also interesting to observe that the thermal response of the LCE beams of different thicknesses in the results of experimental characterization shows a similar value of coefficient of thermal expansion in the equivalent thermal expansion effect.”
Going forward, the researchers will investigate methods for fabrication of functional LCE devices, such as microgrippers, for applications in microrobotics and micromanipulation.
Source: “Numerical simulation and experimental validation of bending and curling behaviors of liquid crystal elastomer beams under thermal actuation,” by Alissa Potekhina and Changhai Wang, Applied Physics Letters (2021). The article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0053302 .
