Soft elasticity optimises dissipation in 3D-printed liquid crystal elastomers
Abstract
Soft-elasticity in monodomain liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) is promising for impact-absorbing applications where strain energy is ideally absorbed at constant stress. Conventionally, compressive and impact studies on LCEs have not been performed given the notorious difficulty synthesizing sufficiently large monodomain devices. Here, we use direct-ink writing 3D printing to fabricate bulk (>cm3) monodomain LCE devices and study their compressive soft-elasticity over 8 decades of strain rate. At quasi-static rates, the monodomain soft-elastic LCE dissipated 45% of strain energy while comparator materials dissipated less than 20%. At strain rates up to 3000 s–1, our soft-elastic monodomain LCE consistently performed closest to an ideal-impact absorber. Drop testing reveals soft-elasticity as a likely mechanism for effectively reducing the severity of impacts – with soft elastic LCEs offering a Gadd Severity Index 40% lower than a comparable isotropic elastomer. Lastly, we demonstrate tailoring deformation and buckling behavior in monodomain LCEs via the printed director orientation.
- Authors:
-
- Univ. of Colorado, Denver, CO (United States)
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Impressio Inc., Aurora, CO (United States)
- Univ. of Colorado, Denver, CO (United States); Impressio Inc., Aurora, CO (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); Leverhulme Trust; US Army Research Laboratory (USARL); National Science Foundation (NSF)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1834143
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-2021-13516J
Journal ID: ISSN 2041-1723; 701426
- Grant/Contract Number:
- NA0003525; ECF-2020-68; W911NF1710165; CMMI-2046611; CMMI-1350436
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Nature Communications
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 12; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 2041-1723
- Publisher:
- Nature Publishing Group
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; liquid crystals; mechanical engineering; polymers
Citation Formats
Mistry, D., Traugutt, N. A., Sanborn, B., Volpe, R. H., Chatham, L. S., Zhou, R., Song, B., Yu, K., Long, K. N., and Yakacki, C. M. Soft elasticity optimises dissipation in 3D-printed liquid crystal elastomers. United States: N. p., 2021.
Web. doi:10.1038/s41467-021-27013-0.
Mistry, D., Traugutt, N. A., Sanborn, B., Volpe, R. H., Chatham, L. S., Zhou, R., Song, B., Yu, K., Long, K. N., & Yakacki, C. M. Soft elasticity optimises dissipation in 3D-printed liquid crystal elastomers. United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27013-0
Mistry, D., Traugutt, N. A., Sanborn, B., Volpe, R. H., Chatham, L. S., Zhou, R., Song, B., Yu, K., Long, K. N., and Yakacki, C. M. Thu .
"Soft elasticity optimises dissipation in 3D-printed liquid crystal elastomers". United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27013-0. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1834143.
@article{osti_1834143,
title = {Soft elasticity optimises dissipation in 3D-printed liquid crystal elastomers},
author = {Mistry, D. and Traugutt, N. A. and Sanborn, B. and Volpe, R. H. and Chatham, L. S. and Zhou, R. and Song, B. and Yu, K. and Long, K. N. and Yakacki, C. M.},
abstractNote = {Soft-elasticity in monodomain liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) is promising for impact-absorbing applications where strain energy is ideally absorbed at constant stress. Conventionally, compressive and impact studies on LCEs have not been performed given the notorious difficulty synthesizing sufficiently large monodomain devices. Here, we use direct-ink writing 3D printing to fabricate bulk (>cm3) monodomain LCE devices and study their compressive soft-elasticity over 8 decades of strain rate. At quasi-static rates, the monodomain soft-elastic LCE dissipated 45% of strain energy while comparator materials dissipated less than 20%. At strain rates up to 3000 s–1, our soft-elastic monodomain LCE consistently performed closest to an ideal-impact absorber. Drop testing reveals soft-elasticity as a likely mechanism for effectively reducing the severity of impacts – with soft elastic LCEs offering a Gadd Severity Index 40% lower than a comparable isotropic elastomer. Lastly, we demonstrate tailoring deformation and buckling behavior in monodomain LCEs via the printed director orientation.},
doi = {10.1038/s41467-021-27013-0},
journal = {Nature Communications},
number = 1,
volume = 12,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Nov 18 00:00:00 EST 2021},
month = {Thu Nov 18 00:00:00 EST 2021}
}
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