Controlled Shape Memory Behavior of a Smectic Main-Chain Liquid Crystalline Elastomer
- Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States). School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Deposition Sciences Group
- Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID (United States). Dept. of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Science (CNMS)
Here, we describe how a smectic main-chain liquid crystalline elastomer (LCE), with controlled shape memory behavior, is synthesized by polymerizing a biphenyl-based epoxy monomer with an aliphatic carboxylic acid curing agent. Microstructures of the LCEs, including their liquid crystallinity and cross-linking density, are modified by adjusting the stoichiometric ratio of the reactants to tailor the thermomechanical properties and shape memory behavior of the material. Thermal and liquid crystalline properties of the LCEs, characterized using differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis, and structural analysis, performed using small-angle and wide-angle X-ray scattering, show that liquid crystallinity, cross-linking density, and network rigidity are strongly affected by the stoichiometry of the curing reaction. With appropriate structural modifications it is possible to tune the thermal, dynamic mechanical, and thermomechanical properties as well as the shape memory and thermal degradation behavior of LCEs.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Critical Materials Institute (CMI)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE); US Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725; A-9550-12-1-0108
- OSTI ID:
- 1324048
- Journal Information:
- Macromolecules, Vol. 48, Issue 9; ISSN 0024-9297
- Publisher:
- American Chemical SocietyCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Web of Science
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