Bending kinetics of a photo-actuating nematic elastomer cantilever
Torras Andrés, Núria (Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona)
Zinoviev, K. E. (Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona)
Marshall, J. E. (University of Cambridge. Cavendish Laboratory)
Terentjev, E. M. (University of Cambridge. Cavendish Laboratory)
Esteve, Jaume (Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona)
American Physical Society

Date:	2011
Abstract:	Liquid crystal elastomers (LCE) containing embedded carbon nanotubes(CNTs) contract when exposed to light, due to LC disordering induced by the ability of CNTs to absorb light and convert it into thermal energy. A cantilever made of LCE-CNTs exposed to light demonstrates dynamic bending due to inhomogeneous strain distribution caused by exponential heat generation across the cantilever width. Analysis of bending dynamics helps to extract parameters that are important for designing actuators based on these materials. In this work, we have carried out direct measurements of temperature evolution inside the cantilever and related its kinetics to the applied irradiation power.
Rights:	Tots els drets reservats.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Carbon nanotubes ; Composite materials ; Bending ; Materials properties ; Temperature measurement ; Elastomeric polymers
Published in:	Applied physics letters, Vol. 99, Issue 25 (December 2011) , p. 254102/1-254102/3, ISSN 1077-3118

DOI: 10.1063/1.3670502

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