Iron particle coating can improve the behavior of magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) by inhibiting iron particle rusting; however, such a process can change physical properties of MREs such as oxidation resistance, shear modulus, and stiffness change due to an applied magnetic field. In this study, MRE samples are fabricated with regular and polymerized iron particles. To investigate the poss...

Metal-elastomer interfacial systems, often encountered in stretchable electronics, demonstrate remarkably high interface fracture toughness values. Evidently, a large gap exists between the rather small adhesion energy levels at the microscopic scale ('intrinsic adhesion') and the large measured macroscopic work-of-separation. This energy gap is closed here by unravelling the underlying dissipa...

A metal-elastomer-foam composite that varies in stiffness, that can change shape and store shape memory, that self-heals, and that welds into monolithic structures from smaller components is presented.

In this work, a two-component acrylate liquid crystal elastomer, with varying composition and templating phase, is synthesized in the laboratory investigated parallel using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. The anisotropic nature of both mono- bifunctional acrylates used study enables large tunability compositional range while still retaining crystalline properties final elastomer. use ...

Electrically tunable diffractive optical elements are presented based on two approaches: tunable and switchable DOE and DFB lasers based on holographically patterned LC-polymer composites and on surface relief gratings connected with dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA).

The development of nanocellulose (CNCs) chiral liquid crystal photonic elastomeric vitrimer materials is promising for achieving needed reduction in carbon emissions (elastomer material recycling) and developing novel functional materials. primary questions discussed are about what the basic principle property CNCs, how to design elastomer materials, general approach designing CNC mechanosensit...

Liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) exhibit a number of remarkable physical effects, including the unique, high-stroke reversible mechanical actuation when triggered by external stimuli. This article reviews some recent exciting developments in the field of LCE materials with an emphasis on their utilization in actuator applications. Such applications include artificial muscles, industrial man...

Liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) exhibit a number of remarkable physical effects, including a uniquely high-stroke reversible mechanical actuation triggered by external stimuli. Fundamentally, all such stimuli affect the degree of liquid crystalline order in the polymer chains cross-linked into an elastic network. Heat and the resulting thermal actuation act by promoting entropic disorder, ...