Design and Development of a Liquid Crystal Elastomers Infiltration Prototype

Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are deformable materials that can be programmed to respond to physical stimuli such as light, heat, and electricity. In order to achieve controllable macroscopic deformation in LCEs, it is important to design the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules. Capillary infiltration of LCEs between two coated laboratory glasses with microscopic grooves along one direction created by rubbing with a velvet-like cloth is a commonly used fabrication method. During infiltration, the desired orientation is influenced by the intermolecular shear force between the liquid crystal monomers and the material of the coated glasses, as well as the glasses surface rubbing direction. It is also important to ensure a constant thickness in the LCE. To address these issues, the authors propose a 3D printed prototype for LCE fabrication that can provide a repeatable procedure and uniform layer thickness. The paper describes the steps involved in the fabrication process, including rubbing, LCE infiltration, and photopolymerization. The results demonstrate that the implemented system can improve the reliability of LCE fabrication by ensuring consistent film thickness and alignment.