Photo-actuators via epitaxial growth of microcrystal arrays in polymer membranes

Xu, Wenwen; Sanchez, David M.; Raucci, Umberto; Zhou, Hantao; Dong, Xinning; Hu, Mingqiu; Bardeen, Christopher J.; Martinez, Todd J.; Hayward, Ryan C.

doi:10.1038/s41563-023-01610-4

Photo-actuators via epitaxial growth of microcrystal arrays in polymer membranes

Journal Article · Thu Jul 27 00:00:00 EDT 2023 · Nature Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-023-01610-4· OSTI ID:1994461

Xu, Wenwen ^[1]; ^[2]; ^[2]; Zhou, Hantao ^[3]; ^[4]; ^[5]; ^[4]; Martinez, Todd J. ^[2]; ^[1]

University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
Stanford University, CA (United States); SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States)
University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States); University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA (United States)
University of California, Riverside, CA (United States)
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA (United States)

Photomechanical crystals composed of three-dimensionally ordered and densely packed photochromes hold promise for high-performance photochemical actuators. However, bulk crystals with high structural ordering are severely limited in their flexibility, resulting in poor processibility and a tendency to fragment upon light exposure, while previous nano- or microcrystalline composites have lacked global alignment. Here we demonstrate a photon-fuelled macroscopic actuator consisting of diarylethene microcrystals in a polyethylene terephthalate host matrix. These microcrystals survive large deformations and show a high degree of three-dimensional ordering dictated by the anisotropic polyethylene terephthalate, which critically also has a similar stiffness. Overall, these ordered and compliant composites exhibit rapid response times, sustain a performance of over at least hundreds of cycles and generate work densities exceeding those of single crystals. In conclusion, our composites represent the state-of-the-art for photochemical actuators and enable properties unattainable by single crystals, such as controllable, reversible and abrupt jumping (photosalient behaviour).

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); US Department of the Navy, Office of Naval Research (ONR); US Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-07NA27344

OSTI ID:: 1994461

Report Number(s):: LLNL--JRNL-837770; 1057233

Journal Information:: Nature Materials, Journal Name: Nature Materials Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 22; ISSN 1476-1122

Publisher:: Springer NatureCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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