Graphene-Enabled Superior and Tunable Photomechanical Actuation in Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Nanocomposites.

Yang, Yingkui; Zhan, Wenjie; Peng, Rengui; He, Chengen; Pang, Xinchang; Shi, Dean; Jiang, Tao; Lin, Zhiqun · Adv Mater · 2015

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Programmable photoactuation enabled by graphene: Graphene sheets aligned in liquid crystalline elastomers are capable of absorbing near-infrared light. They thereafter act as nanoheaters and provide thermally conductive pathways to trigger the nematic-to-isotropic transition of elastomers, leading to macroscopic mechanical deformation of nanocomposites. Large strain, high actuation force, high initial sensitivity, fast reversible response, and long cyclability are concurrently achieved in nanocomposites.