Liquid crystal Pacharatnam-Berry phase optical elements(PBOEs)have found promising applications in augmented reality and virtual reality because of their slim formfactor,lightweight,and high optical efficiency.However...Liquid crystal Pacharatnam-Berry phase optical elements(PBOEs)have found promising applications in augmented reality and virtual reality because of their slim formfactor,lightweight,and high optical efficiency.However,chromatic aberration remains a serious longstanding problem for diffractive optics,hindering their broader adoption.To overcome the chromatic aberrations for red,green and blue(RGB)light sources,in this paper,we propose a counterintuitive multi-twist structure to achieve narrowband PBOEs without crosstalk,which plays a vital role to eliminate the chromatic aberration.The performance of our designed and fabricated narrowband Pacharatnam-Berry lenses(PBLs)aligns well with our simulation results.Furthermore,in a feasibility demonstration experiment using a laser projector,our proposed PBL system indeed exhibits a diminished chromatic aberration as compared to a broadband PBL.Additionally,polarization raytracing is implemented to demonstrate the versatility of the multi-twist structure for designing any RGB wavelengths with high contrast ratios.This analysis explores the feasibility of using RGB laser lines and quantum dot light-emitting diodes.Overall,our approach enables high optical efficiency,low fabrication complexity,and high degree of design freedom to accommodate any liquid crystal material and RGB light sources,holding immense potential for widespread applications of achromatic PBOEs.展开更多
The memory behavior in liquid crystals(LCs)that is characterized by low cost,large area,high speed,and high-density memory has evolved from a mere scientific curiosity to a technology that is being applied in a variet...The memory behavior in liquid crystals(LCs)that is characterized by low cost,large area,high speed,and high-density memory has evolved from a mere scientific curiosity to a technology that is being applied in a variety of commodities.In this study,we utilized molybdenum disulfide(MoS_(2))nanoflakes as the vip in a homotropic LCs host to modulate the overall memory effect of the hybrid.It was found that the MoS₂nanoflakes within the LCs host formed agglomerates,which in turn resulted in an accelerated response of the hybrids to the external electric field.However,this process also resulted in a slight decrease in the threshold voltage.Additionally,it was observed that MoS₂nanoflakes in a LCs host tend to align homeotropically under an external electric field,thereby accelerating the refreshment of the memory behavior.The incorporation of a mass fraction of 0.1%2μm MoS₂nanoflakes into the LCs host was found to significantly reduce the refreshing memory behavior in the hybrid to 94.0 s under an external voltage of 5 V.These findings illustrate the efficacy of regulating the rate of memory behavior for a variety of potential applications.展开更多
Soft robots have shown great advantages with simple structure,high degree of freedom,continuous deformation,and benign human-machine interaction.In the past decades,a variety of soft robots,including crawling,jumping,...Soft robots have shown great advantages with simple structure,high degree of freedom,continuous deformation,and benign human-machine interaction.In the past decades,a variety of soft robots,including crawling,jumping,swimming,and climbing robots,have been developed inspired by living creatures.However,most of the reported bionic soft robots have only a single mode of motion,which limits their practical application.Herein,we report a fully 3D printed crawling and flipping soft robot using liquid metal incorporated liquid crystal elastomer(LM-LCE)composite as the actuator.With the application of voltage,liquid metal works as the conductive Joule heating material to induce the contraction of the LCE layer.The bending angle of the LM-LCE composite actuator highly depends on the applied voltage.We further demonstrate that the soft robot can exhibit distinct moving behaviors,such as crawling or flipping,by applying different voltages.The fully 3D printed LM-LCE composite structure provides a strategy for the fast construction of soft robots with diverse motion modes.展开更多
Stimuli-responsive shape-changing materials,particularly hydrogel and liquid crystal elastomer(LCE),have demonstrated significant potential for applications across various fields.Although intricate deformation and act...Stimuli-responsive shape-changing materials,particularly hydrogel and liquid crystal elastomer(LCE),have demonstrated significant potential for applications across various fields.Although intricate deformation and actuation behaviors have been obtained in either hydrogels or LCEs,they typically undergo reversible shape change only once(e.g.,one expansion plus one contraction)during one heating/cooling cycle.Herein,we report a study of a novel liquid crystalline hydrogel(LCH)and the achievement of dual actuation in a single heating/cooling cycle by integrating the characteristics of thermoresponsive hydrogel and LCE.The dual actuation behavior arises from the reversible volume phase transition of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)(PNIPAM)and the reversible order-disorder phase transition of LC mesogens in the LCH.Due to a temperature window separating the two transitions belonging to PNIPAM and LCE,LCH actuator can sequentially execute their respective actuation,thus deforming reversibly twice,during a heating/cooling cycle.The relative actuation degree of the two mechanisms is influenced by the mass ratio of PNIPAM to LCE in the LCH.Moreover,the initial shape of a bilayer actuator made with an active LCH layer and a passive polymer layer can be altered through hydration or dehydration of PNIPAM,which further modifies the dual actuation induced deformation.This work provides an example that shows the interest of developing LCH actuators.展开更多
Polarization,the vector nature of electromagnetic waves,plays a vital role in optics.Polarization is characterized by the amplitude contrast and phase difference between two orthogonal polarization states.The present ...Polarization,the vector nature of electromagnetic waves,plays a vital role in optics.Polarization is characterized by the amplitude contrast and phase difference between two orthogonal polarization states.The present polarimeters usually perform a series of intensity measurements to carry out the polarization detection,making the process bulky and time-consuming.Thereby,compact and broadband-available polarimetry within a single snapshot is urgently demanded.We propose an all-liquid-crystal polarimeter for broadband polarization detection.It is cascaded by a q-plate and a polarization grating.The former is electrically tuned to meet the half-wave condition,whereas the latter is driven to deviate from this condition.After a polarized light passes through this device followed by a polarizer,its amplitude contrast and phase difference between orthogonal spins are read directly from the diffraction pattern.The intensity contrast between±1st orders depicts the amplitude contrast,whereas the rotating angle of the dark split reveals the phase difference.The Stokes parameters can be calculated accordingly.The polarimeter works in a broad spectral range of 470 to 1100 nm.Through presetting a q-plate array,polarization imaging is demonstrated.It supplies an all-liquid-crystal and full-visible-band tunable Stokes polarimeter that significantly promotes advances in polarization optics.展开更多
Recent experiments have found that a liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)rod supported in the middle can rotate continuously under horizontal illumination due to the combined impacts of gravity and light-fueled lateral bend-...Recent experiments have found that a liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)rod supported in the middle can rotate continuously under horizontal illumination due to the combined impacts of gravity and light-fueled lateral bend-ing deformation.Similar to traditional gravity-driven systems,it is constrained by the direction of gravity and cannot be applied in microgravity environments.This study introduces a lateral constraint to a liquid crystal elastomer rod system,enabling self-rotation under lighting from any direction,including horizontal and vertical illumination.Through theoretical modeling,the results indicate that the system can steadily rotate under the combined impacts of lateral forces and vertical illumination.Factors like thermal energy flux,thermal conduc-tivity coefficient,the LCE rod length,contraction coefficient,and friction coefficient affect the angular velocity of the self-rotation.The numerical computations align closely with the experimental data.Our proposed steadily self-rotating system features a simple structure with constant self-rotation.It operates independently of gravity direction,making it an excellent choice for special environments,such as the microgravity conditions on the Moon.The lateral constraint strategy presented in this study offers a general approach to expanding the applica-tions of gravity-driven self-sustained motion,with promising potential,especially in microgravity settings,where its versatility under varying lighting conditions could yield valuable insights.展开更多
In this paper,we study Liouville theorem for the 3D stationary Q-tensor system of liquid crystal in Lorentz and Morrey spaces.Under some additional hypotheses,stated in terms of Lorentz and Morrey spaces,using energy ...In this paper,we study Liouville theorem for the 3D stationary Q-tensor system of liquid crystal in Lorentz and Morrey spaces.Under some additional hypotheses,stated in terms of Lorentz and Morrey spaces,using energy estimation,we obtain that the trivial solution u=Q=0 is the unique solution.Our theorems correspond to improvements of some recent results and contain some known results as particular cases.展开更多
Conventional liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)-based robots are limited by the need for complex controllers and bulky power supplies,restricting their use in microrobots and soft robots.This paper introduces a novel light...Conventional liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)-based robots are limited by the need for complex controllers and bulky power supplies,restricting their use in microrobots and soft robots.This paper introduces a novel light-powered dicycle that uses an LCE rod,enabling self-rolling by harvesting energy from the environment.The LCE rod serves as the driving force,with energy being supplied by a line light source.Employing a dynamic LCE model,we calculate the transverse curvature of the LCE rod after deformation,as well as the driving moment generated by the shift in a rod’s center of gravity,which allows the dicycle to roll on its own.Through extensive numerical simulations,we identify the correlations between the angular velocity of the dicycle and the key system parameters,specifically the light intensity,LCE rod length,light penetration depth,overall mass of the dicycle,rolling friction coefficient,and wheel radius.Further,the experimental verification is the same as the theoretical result.This proposed light-powered self-rolling dicycle comes with the benefits of the simple structure,the convenient control,the stationary light source,and the small luminous area of the light source.It not only demonstrates self-sustaining oscillations based on active materials,but also highlights the great potential of light-responsive LCE rods in applications such as robotics,aerospace,healthcare,and automation.展开更多
Two-dimensional(2D)transition-metal dichalcogenide(TMD)monolayers based on become a promising platform to study photonics and optoelectronics.Electrically controlling the excitonic properties of TMD monolayers can be ...Two-dimensional(2D)transition-metal dichalcogenide(TMD)monolayers based on become a promising platform to study photonics and optoelectronics.Electrically controlling the excitonic properties of TMD monolayers can be realized in different devices.In this work,we realize the strong coupling between the excitons of WS_(2)monolayers and a photonic cavity mode in a liquid crystal microcavity.The formed exciton polaritons can be electrically tuned by applying voltage to the microcavity.Our work offers a way to study exciton-polariton manipulation based on TMD monolayers by electrical methods at room temperature.展开更多
Bioinspired active pillar structures,known for their large surface area,mechanical compliance,and diverse deformation modes,have garnered extensive research interest.Among various active pillar structures,liquid cryst...Bioinspired active pillar structures,known for their large surface area,mechanical compliance,and diverse deformation modes,have garnered extensive research interest.Among various active pillar structures,liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)pillar arrays are capable of exhibiting significant and reversible anisotropic deformation under cyclic heating and cooling,showing great potential in tunable adhesion,soft robots,and biomedical devices.However,scaling up LCE pillar manufacturing remains challenging,limiting its practical applications.In this work,a solventfree LCE resin is developed with unique features including simple operating procedure,short fabrication time,and tunable responsive temperature,enabling rapid and large-scale production of LCE pillar arrays.The LCE resin allows for the preparation of complex 3D shapes in addition to film or specimen.The fabrication time can be as short as 4 h,without the need to evaporate solvent.Moreover,the LCE resins can be adjusted with a variable phase transition temperature range from 49.4℃ to 97.7℃ by incorporating non-liquid crystal acrylate chains.The resulting active pillar array structure can undertake sequential actuation upon heating with the tunable actuation temperature.Finally,the application of these pillar arrays in multi-level information encryption is demonstrated.The LCE pillar structure introduced here offers a new strategy for constructing advanced active LCE structures with tunable responsive behavior.展开更多
Vortex beams carrying orbital angular momentum(OAM)are of great significance for high-capacity communication and super-resolution imaging.However,there is a huge gap between the free-space vortices(FVs)and plasmonic v...Vortex beams carrying orbital angular momentum(OAM)are of great significance for high-capacity communication and super-resolution imaging.However,there is a huge gap between the free-space vortices(FVs)and plasmonic vortices(PVs)on chips,and active manipulation as well as multiplexing in more channels have become a pressing demand.In this work,we demonstrate a terahertz(THz)cascaded metadevice composed of a helical plasmonic metasurface,a liquid crystal(LC)layer,and a helical dielectric metasurface.By spin-orbital angular momentum coupling and photon state superposition,PVs and FVs are generated with mode purity of over 85%on average.Due to the inversion asymmetric design of the helical metasurfaces,the parity symmetry breaking of OAM is realized(the topological charge numbers no longer occur in positive and negative pairs,but all are positive),generating 6 independent channels associated with the decoupled spin states and the near-/far-field positions.Moreover,by the LC integration,dynamic mode switching and energy distribution can be realized,finally obtaining up to 12 modes with a modulation ratio of above 70%.This active tuning and multi-channel multiplexing metadevice establishes a bridge connection between the PVs and FVs,exhibiting promising applications in THz communication,intelligent perception,and information processing.展开更多
Photonic fibrous soft actuators that can modulate light and produce responsive deformation would have broad technological implications in areas,ranging from smart textiles and intelligent artificial muscles to medical...Photonic fibrous soft actuators that can modulate light and produce responsive deformation would have broad technological implications in areas,ranging from smart textiles and intelligent artificial muscles to medical devices.However,creating such multifunctional soft actuators has proved tremendously challenging.Here,we report novel cholesteric liquid crystal elastomer(CLCE)based photonic fibrous soft actuators(PFSAs).CLCE can serve as chiral photonic soft active material and allow for multiresponse in shapes and colors.We leveraged a tubularmold-based processing technology to prepare fibrous CLCE actuators,and the prepared actuators exhibit the capabilities to dynamically switch structural colors and geometrical shapes by mechanical,temperature,or light stimuli.CLCE-based PFSAs demonstrate diverse functionalities,including visual weight feedback,optically driven object manipulation,and light driven locomotion.It is anticipated that our PFSAs would offer many new possibilities for developing advanced soft actuators.展开更多
With the rise in environmental awareness,the development of smart polymer materials is gradually becoming environmentally friendly and sustainable.Fluorescent liquid crystal elastomers(LCE)can change their shape or op...With the rise in environmental awareness,the development of smart polymer materials is gradually becoming environmentally friendly and sustainable.Fluorescent liquid crystal elastomers(LCE)can change their shape or optical properties in response to external stimuli,showing great potential for applications in sensing,information storage,and encryption.However,their life cycle is often unsustainable and not in line with the circular economy model.Based on the principle of green chemistry,a fluorescent LCE was developed through the co-polymerization of multiple monomers with 1,2-dithiolane end groups,which exhibited excellent self-healing,reprocessing,and closed-loop recyclability.In addition,by tailoring the phase transition temperature of the LCE,the transparency and fluorescence intensity of the resulting material can change at a low temperature of 8.0℃.By further integrating light or acid/base-triggered fluorescence information,a proof-of-concept for temperature monitoring during short-time vaccine transportation using the reusable fluorescent LCE film is demonstrated.This study establishes a new environmentally friendly manufacturing strategy for multifunctional LCE materials.展开更多
Self-vibrating systems comprised of active materials have great potential for application in the fields of energy harvesting,actuation,bionic instrumentation,and autonomous robotics.However,it is challenging to obtain...Self-vibrating systems comprised of active materials have great potential for application in the fields of energy harvesting,actuation,bionic instrumentation,and autonomous robotics.However,it is challenging to obtain analytical solutions describing these systems,which hinders analysis and design.In this work,we propose a self-vibrating liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)fiber-spring system exposed to spatially-constant gradient light,and determine analytical solutions for its amplitude and period.First,using a dynamic model of LCE,we obtain the equations governing the self-vibration.Then,we analyze two different motion states and elucidate the mechanism of self-vibration.Subsequently,we derive analytical solutions for the amplitude and frequency using the multi-scale method,and compare the solutions with numerical results.The analytical outcomes are shown to be consistent with the numerical calculations,while taking far less computational time.Our findings reveal the utility of the multi-scale method in describing self-vibration,which may contribute to more efficient and accurate analyses of self-vibrating systems.展开更多
Design of a miniaturized lumped-element bandpass filter in multilayer liquid crystal polymer technology is proposed.Fractional bandwidth of the bandpass filter is 20%,operating at a center frequency of 500 MHz.In orde...Design of a miniaturized lumped-element bandpass filter in multilayer liquid crystal polymer technology is proposed.Fractional bandwidth of the bandpass filter is 20%,operating at a center frequency of 500 MHz.In order to further reduce the size and improve the performance of the proposed filter,defected ground structure(DGS)has been implemented in the filter.Based on this structure,the volume of the inductor is reduced by 60%eficiently compared with the inductor without DGS,and the Q-factor is increased up to 257%compared with the traditional multilayer spiral inductor.The measured results indicate that the designed filter has a very sharp stopband,an insertion loss of 2.3dB,and a return loss of 18.6dB in the passband.The whole volume of the fabricated filter is 0.032入_(g)×0.05入_(g)×0.00075入_(g),where Ag is the guided wavelength of the center frequency.The proposed filter is easily integrated into radio-frequency/microwave circuitry at a low manufacturing cost,especially wireless communication.展开更多
The thermotropic liquid crystal polyester(TLCP)fiber is an increasingly important strategic high-performance fiber.In this paper,the TLCP was prepared by two-step melt polymerization using 4-hydroxybenzoic acid(HBA)an...The thermotropic liquid crystal polyester(TLCP)fiber is an increasingly important strategic high-performance fiber.In this paper,the TLCP was prepared by two-step melt polymerization using 4-hydroxybenzoic acid(HBA)and 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid(HNA)as comonomers at a molar ratio of 7∶3.The structure of TLCP was confirmed by the Fourier transform infrared(FTIR)spectrometer and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)spectrometer.The thermal and rheological properties of TLCP before and after heat treatment were analyzed systematically by the differential scanning calorimeter(DSC),dynamic mechanical analyzer(DMA)and high-temperature rotational rheometer.The results revealed that the melting temperature,glass transition temperature and melt viscosity of the TLCP increased significantly after heat treatment.It indicates that the crystallization of the TLCP is perfect,and solid-phase condensation occurs during heat treatment,which increases its molecular mass.In conclusion,heat treatment at a temperature below but close to the melting temperature can effectively regulate the structure and properties of the TLCP,and the results of this study can provide a reference for the high strengthening of TLCP fibers.展开更多
Liquid crystal elastomers(LCEs)exhibit exceptional reversible deformation and unique physical properties owing to their order-disorder phase transition under external stimuli.Among these deformations,helical structure...Liquid crystal elastomers(LCEs)exhibit exceptional reversible deformation and unique physical properties owing to their order-disorder phase transition under external stimuli.Among these deformations,helical structures have attracted attention owing to their distinctive configurations and promising applications in biomimetics and microelectronics.However,the helical deformation behavior of fiber actuators is critically influenced by their morphologies and alignments;yet,the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.Through a two-step azaMichael addition reaction and direct ink writing(DIW)4D printing technology,fiber-based LCE actuators with a core-sheath alignment structure were fabricated and exhibited reversible helical deformation upon heating.By adjusting the printing parameters,the filament number,width,thickness,and core-sheath structure of the fiber actuators can be precisely controlled,resulting in deformation behaviors,such as contraction,bending,and helical twisting.Finite element simulations were performed to investigate the deformation behaviors of the fiber actuators,providing insights into the variations in stress and strain during the shape-changing process,which can be used to explain the shape-morphing mechanism.These findings demonstrate that the precise tuning of printing parameters enables the controllable construction of LCE actuator morphology and customization of their functional properties,paving the way for advanced applications in smart fabrics,biomedical engineering,and flexible electronics.展开更多
In this paper,a compact defected ground structure loaded ultra high frequency dual-band bandpass flter is designed and implemented based on multilayer liquid crystal polymer technology.This novel filter is simply comp...In this paper,a compact defected ground structure loaded ultra high frequency dual-band bandpass flter is designed and implemented based on multilayer liquid crystal polymer technology.This novel filter is simply composed with several lumped and semi-lumped elements,to create a dual-passband response.In order to enhance the out-of-band rejection,a feedback capacitor C_(z) at the in/out ports of the filter is introduced,and four transmission zeros(TZs)are obtained outside the pass band.Furthermore,the position of TZs can be determined by adjusting the value of C_(z).The schematic and design process of the filter are given in this paper.The center frequencies of dual-band bandpass filter are 0.9 GHz and 2.45 GHz,and the 3-dB bandwidths are 13.7%and 14.3%,respectively.The circuit size is 11 mm×9.5 mm×0.193 mm.The proposed filter has been fabricated and tested,and the measured result is in good agreement with the simulation result.展开更多
this paper,we study Liouville theorem for 3D steady Q-tensor system of liquid crystal in mixed Lorentz spaces.We obtain u=0,Q=0 on the conditions that μ∈L^(p,∞x_(1)L^(q,∞x_(2)L^(r,∞x_(3)(R^(4)∩H^(1)(R^(3),Q∈H^(...this paper,we study Liouville theorem for 3D steady Q-tensor system of liquid crystal in mixed Lorentz spaces.We obtain u=0,Q=0 on the conditions that μ∈L^(p,∞x_(1)L^(q,∞x_(2)L^(r,∞x_(3)(R^(4)∩H^(1)(R^(3),Q∈H^(2)(R^(3),p,q,r∈(3,∞],and 1/p+1/q+1/r≥2/3, which extends some known results.展开更多
A programmable low-profile array antenna based on nematic liquid crystals(NLCs)is proposed.Each antenna unit comprises a square patch radiating structure and a tunable NLC-based phase shifter capable of achieving a ph...A programmable low-profile array antenna based on nematic liquid crystals(NLCs)is proposed.Each antenna unit comprises a square patch radiating structure and a tunable NLC-based phase shifter capable of achieving a phase shift exceeding 360°with high linearity.First,the above 64 antenna units are periodically arranged into an 8×8 NLC-based antenna array,and the bias voltage of the NLC-based phase shifter loaded on the antenna unit is adjusted through the control of the field-programmable gate array(FPGA)programming sequences.This configuration enables precise phase changes for all 64 channels.Numerical simulation,sample processing,and experimental measurements of the antenna array are conducted to validate the performance of the antenna.The numerical and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed antenna performs well within the frequency range of 19.5-20.5 GHz,with a 3 dB relative bandwidth of 10%and a maximum main lobe gain of 14.1 dBi.A maximum scanning angle of±34°is achieved through the adjustment of the FPGA programming sequence.This NLC-based programmable array antenna shows promising potential for applications in satellite communication.展开更多
基金supports from the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2023YFB2806803)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(62075127).
文摘Liquid crystal Pacharatnam-Berry phase optical elements(PBOEs)have found promising applications in augmented reality and virtual reality because of their slim formfactor,lightweight,and high optical efficiency.However,chromatic aberration remains a serious longstanding problem for diffractive optics,hindering their broader adoption.To overcome the chromatic aberrations for red,green and blue(RGB)light sources,in this paper,we propose a counterintuitive multi-twist structure to achieve narrowband PBOEs without crosstalk,which plays a vital role to eliminate the chromatic aberration.The performance of our designed and fabricated narrowband Pacharatnam-Berry lenses(PBLs)aligns well with our simulation results.Furthermore,in a feasibility demonstration experiment using a laser projector,our proposed PBL system indeed exhibits a diminished chromatic aberration as compared to a broadband PBL.Additionally,polarization raytracing is implemented to demonstrate the versatility of the multi-twist structure for designing any RGB wavelengths with high contrast ratios.This analysis explores the feasibility of using RGB laser lines and quantum dot light-emitting diodes.Overall,our approach enables high optical efficiency,low fabrication complexity,and high degree of design freedom to accommodate any liquid crystal material and RGB light sources,holding immense potential for widespread applications of achromatic PBOEs.
文摘The memory behavior in liquid crystals(LCs)that is characterized by low cost,large area,high speed,and high-density memory has evolved from a mere scientific curiosity to a technology that is being applied in a variety of commodities.In this study,we utilized molybdenum disulfide(MoS_(2))nanoflakes as the vip in a homotropic LCs host to modulate the overall memory effect of the hybrid.It was found that the MoS₂nanoflakes within the LCs host formed agglomerates,which in turn resulted in an accelerated response of the hybrids to the external electric field.However,this process also resulted in a slight decrease in the threshold voltage.Additionally,it was observed that MoS₂nanoflakes in a LCs host tend to align homeotropically under an external electric field,thereby accelerating the refreshment of the memory behavior.The incorporation of a mass fraction of 0.1%2μm MoS₂nanoflakes into the LCs host was found to significantly reduce the refreshing memory behavior in the hybrid to 94.0 s under an external voltage of 5 V.These findings illustrate the efficacy of regulating the rate of memory behavior for a variety of potential applications.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2023YFB3812500)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52105003)+1 种基金Beijing Municipal Natural Science Foundation(No.2222058)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.YWF-22-K-101)。
文摘Soft robots have shown great advantages with simple structure,high degree of freedom,continuous deformation,and benign human-machine interaction.In the past decades,a variety of soft robots,including crawling,jumping,swimming,and climbing robots,have been developed inspired by living creatures.However,most of the reported bionic soft robots have only a single mode of motion,which limits their practical application.Herein,we report a fully 3D printed crawling and flipping soft robot using liquid metal incorporated liquid crystal elastomer(LM-LCE)composite as the actuator.With the application of voltage,liquid metal works as the conductive Joule heating material to induce the contraction of the LCE layer.The bending angle of the LM-LCE composite actuator highly depends on the applied voltage.We further demonstrate that the soft robot can exhibit distinct moving behaviors,such as crawling or flipping,by applying different voltages.The fully 3D printed LM-LCE composite structure provides a strategy for the fast construction of soft robots with diverse motion modes.
基金financial support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada(NSERC),le Fonds de recherche du Québec:Nature et technologies(FRQNT),and The Centre québécois sur les matériaux fonctionnels.
文摘Stimuli-responsive shape-changing materials,particularly hydrogel and liquid crystal elastomer(LCE),have demonstrated significant potential for applications across various fields.Although intricate deformation and actuation behaviors have been obtained in either hydrogels or LCEs,they typically undergo reversible shape change only once(e.g.,one expansion plus one contraction)during one heating/cooling cycle.Herein,we report a study of a novel liquid crystalline hydrogel(LCH)and the achievement of dual actuation in a single heating/cooling cycle by integrating the characteristics of thermoresponsive hydrogel and LCE.The dual actuation behavior arises from the reversible volume phase transition of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)(PNIPAM)and the reversible order-disorder phase transition of LC mesogens in the LCH.Due to a temperature window separating the two transitions belonging to PNIPAM and LCE,LCH actuator can sequentially execute their respective actuation,thus deforming reversibly twice,during a heating/cooling cycle.The relative actuation degree of the two mechanisms is influenced by the mass ratio of PNIPAM to LCE in the LCH.Moreover,the initial shape of a bilayer actuator made with an active LCH layer and a passive polymer layer can be altered through hydration or dehydration of PNIPAM,which further modifies the dual actuation induced deformation.This work provides an example that shows the interest of developing LCH actuators.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2022YFA1203700)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.62405129 and 62035008)+4 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(Grant No.BK20241197)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.2024T170396)the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of CPSF(Grant No.GZC20240678)the Jiangsu Funding Program for Excellent Postdoctoral Talent(Grant No.2024ZB684)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Grant No.021314380244).
文摘Polarization,the vector nature of electromagnetic waves,plays a vital role in optics.Polarization is characterized by the amplitude contrast and phase difference between two orthogonal polarization states.The present polarimeters usually perform a series of intensity measurements to carry out the polarization detection,making the process bulky and time-consuming.Thereby,compact and broadband-available polarimetry within a single snapshot is urgently demanded.We propose an all-liquid-crystal polarimeter for broadband polarization detection.It is cascaded by a q-plate and a polarization grating.The former is electrically tuned to meet the half-wave condition,whereas the latter is driven to deviate from this condition.After a polarized light passes through this device followed by a polarizer,its amplitude contrast and phase difference between orthogonal spins are read directly from the diffraction pattern.The intensity contrast between±1st orders depicts the amplitude contrast,whereas the rotating angle of the dark split reveals the phase difference.The Stokes parameters can be calculated accordingly.The polarimeter works in a broad spectral range of 470 to 1100 nm.Through presetting a q-plate array,polarization imaging is demonstrated.It supplies an all-liquid-crystal and full-visible-band tunable Stokes polarimeter that significantly promotes advances in polarization optics.
基金supported by the University Natural Science Research Project of Anhui Province(Grant Nos.2022AH040042 and 2022AH020029)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.12172001)+1 种基金Anhui Provincial Natural Science Foundation(Grant No.2208085Y01)the Housing and Urban-Rural Development Science and Technology Project of Anhui Province(Grant No.2022-YF069).
文摘Recent experiments have found that a liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)rod supported in the middle can rotate continuously under horizontal illumination due to the combined impacts of gravity and light-fueled lateral bend-ing deformation.Similar to traditional gravity-driven systems,it is constrained by the direction of gravity and cannot be applied in microgravity environments.This study introduces a lateral constraint to a liquid crystal elastomer rod system,enabling self-rotation under lighting from any direction,including horizontal and vertical illumination.Through theoretical modeling,the results indicate that the system can steadily rotate under the combined impacts of lateral forces and vertical illumination.Factors like thermal energy flux,thermal conduc-tivity coefficient,the LCE rod length,contraction coefficient,and friction coefficient affect the angular velocity of the self-rotation.The numerical computations align closely with the experimental data.Our proposed steadily self-rotating system features a simple structure with constant self-rotation.It operates independently of gravity direction,making it an excellent choice for special environments,such as the microgravity conditions on the Moon.The lateral constraint strategy presented in this study offers a general approach to expanding the applica-tions of gravity-driven self-sustained motion,with promising potential,especially in microgravity settings,where its versatility under varying lighting conditions could yield valuable insights.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(11871305,11901346).
文摘In this paper,we study Liouville theorem for the 3D stationary Q-tensor system of liquid crystal in Lorentz and Morrey spaces.Under some additional hypotheses,stated in terms of Lorentz and Morrey spaces,using energy estimation,we obtain that the trivial solution u=Q=0 is the unique solution.Our theorems correspond to improvements of some recent results and contain some known results as particular cases.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.12172001)the University Natural Science Research Project of Anhui Province of China(No.2022AH020029)+1 种基金the Anhui Provincial Natural Science Foundation(Nos.2208085Y01 and 2008085QA23)the Housing and Urban-Rural Development Science and Technology Project of Anhui Province of China(No.2023-YF129)。
文摘Conventional liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)-based robots are limited by the need for complex controllers and bulky power supplies,restricting their use in microrobots and soft robots.This paper introduces a novel light-powered dicycle that uses an LCE rod,enabling self-rolling by harvesting energy from the environment.The LCE rod serves as the driving force,with energy being supplied by a line light source.Employing a dynamic LCE model,we calculate the transverse curvature of the LCE rod after deformation,as well as the driving moment generated by the shift in a rod’s center of gravity,which allows the dicycle to roll on its own.Through extensive numerical simulations,we identify the correlations between the angular velocity of the dicycle and the key system parameters,specifically the light intensity,LCE rod length,light penetration depth,overall mass of the dicycle,rolling friction coefficient,and wheel radius.Further,the experimental verification is the same as the theoretical result.This proposed light-powered self-rolling dicycle comes with the benefits of the simple structure,the convenient control,the stationary light source,and the small luminous area of the light source.It not only demonstrates self-sustaining oscillations based on active materials,but also highlights the great potential of light-responsive LCE rods in applications such as robotics,aerospace,healthcare,and automation.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.12174285 and 12474315)support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.62375200)+2 种基金support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.12504372)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation-Tianjin Joint Support Program(Grant No.2025T003TJ)support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.12404424)。
文摘Two-dimensional(2D)transition-metal dichalcogenide(TMD)monolayers based on become a promising platform to study photonics and optoelectronics.Electrically controlling the excitonic properties of TMD monolayers can be realized in different devices.In this work,we realize the strong coupling between the excitons of WS_(2)monolayers and a photonic cavity mode in a liquid crystal microcavity.The formed exciton polaritons can be electrically tuned by applying voltage to the microcavity.Our work offers a way to study exciton-polariton manipulation based on TMD monolayers by electrical methods at room temperature.
基金financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2023YFB3812500)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52105003)the Beijing Municipal Natural Science Foundation(No.2222058)。
文摘Bioinspired active pillar structures,known for their large surface area,mechanical compliance,and diverse deformation modes,have garnered extensive research interest.Among various active pillar structures,liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)pillar arrays are capable of exhibiting significant and reversible anisotropic deformation under cyclic heating and cooling,showing great potential in tunable adhesion,soft robots,and biomedical devices.However,scaling up LCE pillar manufacturing remains challenging,limiting its practical applications.In this work,a solventfree LCE resin is developed with unique features including simple operating procedure,short fabrication time,and tunable responsive temperature,enabling rapid and large-scale production of LCE pillar arrays.The LCE resin allows for the preparation of complex 3D shapes in addition to film or specimen.The fabrication time can be as short as 4 h,without the need to evaporate solvent.Moreover,the LCE resins can be adjusted with a variable phase transition temperature range from 49.4℃ to 97.7℃ by incorporating non-liquid crystal acrylate chains.The resulting active pillar array structure can undertake sequential actuation upon heating with the tunable actuation temperature.Finally,the application of these pillar arrays in multi-level information encryption is demonstrated.The LCE pillar structure introduced here offers a new strategy for constructing advanced active LCE structures with tunable responsive behavior.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(62335012,62371258,624B2075,62205160,62435010)Young Scientific and Technological Talents in Tianjin(QN20230227)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,Nankai University(63231159).
文摘Vortex beams carrying orbital angular momentum(OAM)are of great significance for high-capacity communication and super-resolution imaging.However,there is a huge gap between the free-space vortices(FVs)and plasmonic vortices(PVs)on chips,and active manipulation as well as multiplexing in more channels have become a pressing demand.In this work,we demonstrate a terahertz(THz)cascaded metadevice composed of a helical plasmonic metasurface,a liquid crystal(LC)layer,and a helical dielectric metasurface.By spin-orbital angular momentum coupling and photon state superposition,PVs and FVs are generated with mode purity of over 85%on average.Due to the inversion asymmetric design of the helical metasurfaces,the parity symmetry breaking of OAM is realized(the topological charge numbers no longer occur in positive and negative pairs,but all are positive),generating 6 independent channels associated with the decoupled spin states and the near-/far-field positions.Moreover,by the LC integration,dynamic mode switching and energy distribution can be realized,finally obtaining up to 12 modes with a modulation ratio of above 70%.This active tuning and multi-channel multiplexing metadevice establishes a bridge connection between the PVs and FVs,exhibiting promising applications in THz communication,intelligent perception,and information processing.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52273111 and 51873197)the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province of China(No.LR22E030004)the Foundation of Westlake University。
文摘Photonic fibrous soft actuators that can modulate light and produce responsive deformation would have broad technological implications in areas,ranging from smart textiles and intelligent artificial muscles to medical devices.However,creating such multifunctional soft actuators has proved tremendously challenging.Here,we report novel cholesteric liquid crystal elastomer(CLCE)based photonic fibrous soft actuators(PFSAs).CLCE can serve as chiral photonic soft active material and allow for multiresponse in shapes and colors.We leveraged a tubularmold-based processing technology to prepare fibrous CLCE actuators,and the prepared actuators exhibit the capabilities to dynamically switch structural colors and geometrical shapes by mechanical,temperature,or light stimuli.CLCE-based PFSAs demonstrate diverse functionalities,including visual weight feedback,optically driven object manipulation,and light driven locomotion.It is anticipated that our PFSAs would offer many new possibilities for developing advanced soft actuators.
基金support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52073017 and 51773009)。
文摘With the rise in environmental awareness,the development of smart polymer materials is gradually becoming environmentally friendly and sustainable.Fluorescent liquid crystal elastomers(LCE)can change their shape or optical properties in response to external stimuli,showing great potential for applications in sensing,information storage,and encryption.However,their life cycle is often unsustainable and not in line with the circular economy model.Based on the principle of green chemistry,a fluorescent LCE was developed through the co-polymerization of multiple monomers with 1,2-dithiolane end groups,which exhibited excellent self-healing,reprocessing,and closed-loop recyclability.In addition,by tailoring the phase transition temperature of the LCE,the transparency and fluorescence intensity of the resulting material can change at a low temperature of 8.0℃.By further integrating light or acid/base-triggered fluorescence information,a proof-of-concept for temperature monitoring during short-time vaccine transportation using the reusable fluorescent LCE film is demonstrated.This study establishes a new environmentally friendly manufacturing strategy for multifunctional LCE materials.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.12172001)the University Natural Science Research Project of Anhui Province(No.2022AH020029)+1 种基金the Anhui Provincial Natural Science Foundation(Nos.2208085Y01 and 2008085QA23)the Housing and Urban-Rural Development Science and Technology Project of Anhui Province(No.2023-YF129),China.
文摘Self-vibrating systems comprised of active materials have great potential for application in the fields of energy harvesting,actuation,bionic instrumentation,and autonomous robotics.However,it is challenging to obtain analytical solutions describing these systems,which hinders analysis and design.In this work,we propose a self-vibrating liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)fiber-spring system exposed to spatially-constant gradient light,and determine analytical solutions for its amplitude and period.First,using a dynamic model of LCE,we obtain the equations governing the self-vibration.Then,we analyze two different motion states and elucidate the mechanism of self-vibration.Subsequently,we derive analytical solutions for the amplitude and frequency using the multi-scale method,and compare the solutions with numerical results.The analytical outcomes are shown to be consistent with the numerical calculations,while taking far less computational time.Our findings reveal the utility of the multi-scale method in describing self-vibration,which may contribute to more efficient and accurate analyses of self-vibrating systems.
基金the Shaanxi Provincial Key Research and Development Program(No.2020GY-040)。
文摘Design of a miniaturized lumped-element bandpass filter in multilayer liquid crystal polymer technology is proposed.Fractional bandwidth of the bandpass filter is 20%,operating at a center frequency of 500 MHz.In order to further reduce the size and improve the performance of the proposed filter,defected ground structure(DGS)has been implemented in the filter.Based on this structure,the volume of the inductor is reduced by 60%eficiently compared with the inductor without DGS,and the Q-factor is increased up to 257%compared with the traditional multilayer spiral inductor.The measured results indicate that the designed filter has a very sharp stopband,an insertion loss of 2.3dB,and a return loss of 18.6dB in the passband.The whole volume of the fabricated filter is 0.032入_(g)×0.05入_(g)×0.00075入_(g),where Ag is the guided wavelength of the center frequency.The proposed filter is easily integrated into radio-frequency/microwave circuitry at a low manufacturing cost,especially wireless communication.
基金National Key Research and Development Program of China (No.2021YFB3700105)。
文摘The thermotropic liquid crystal polyester(TLCP)fiber is an increasingly important strategic high-performance fiber.In this paper,the TLCP was prepared by two-step melt polymerization using 4-hydroxybenzoic acid(HBA)and 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid(HNA)as comonomers at a molar ratio of 7∶3.The structure of TLCP was confirmed by the Fourier transform infrared(FTIR)spectrometer and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)spectrometer.The thermal and rheological properties of TLCP before and after heat treatment were analyzed systematically by the differential scanning calorimeter(DSC),dynamic mechanical analyzer(DMA)and high-temperature rotational rheometer.The results revealed that the melting temperature,glass transition temperature and melt viscosity of the TLCP increased significantly after heat treatment.It indicates that the crystallization of the TLCP is perfect,and solid-phase condensation occurs during heat treatment,which increases its molecular mass.In conclusion,heat treatment at a temperature below but close to the melting temperature can effectively regulate the structure and properties of the TLCP,and the results of this study can provide a reference for the high strengthening of TLCP fibers.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52103145 and 11832007)Science&Technology Department of Sichuan Province(No.2025ZNSFSC0352)State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering(No.sklpme-2024-1-03)。
文摘Liquid crystal elastomers(LCEs)exhibit exceptional reversible deformation and unique physical properties owing to their order-disorder phase transition under external stimuli.Among these deformations,helical structures have attracted attention owing to their distinctive configurations and promising applications in biomimetics and microelectronics.However,the helical deformation behavior of fiber actuators is critically influenced by their morphologies and alignments;yet,the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.Through a two-step azaMichael addition reaction and direct ink writing(DIW)4D printing technology,fiber-based LCE actuators with a core-sheath alignment structure were fabricated and exhibited reversible helical deformation upon heating.By adjusting the printing parameters,the filament number,width,thickness,and core-sheath structure of the fiber actuators can be precisely controlled,resulting in deformation behaviors,such as contraction,bending,and helical twisting.Finite element simulations were performed to investigate the deformation behaviors of the fiber actuators,providing insights into the variations in stress and strain during the shape-changing process,which can be used to explain the shape-morphing mechanism.These findings demonstrate that the precise tuning of printing parameters enables the controllable construction of LCE actuator morphology and customization of their functional properties,paving the way for advanced applications in smart fabrics,biomedical engineering,and flexible electronics.
基金the Shaanxi Provincial Innovation Team Project(No.2020TD-019)the Xi'an Sciences Plan Project(No.2021XJZZ0075)。
文摘In this paper,a compact defected ground structure loaded ultra high frequency dual-band bandpass flter is designed and implemented based on multilayer liquid crystal polymer technology.This novel filter is simply composed with several lumped and semi-lumped elements,to create a dual-passband response.In order to enhance the out-of-band rejection,a feedback capacitor C_(z) at the in/out ports of the filter is introduced,and four transmission zeros(TZs)are obtained outside the pass band.Furthermore,the position of TZs can be determined by adjusting the value of C_(z).The schematic and design process of the filter are given in this paper.The center frequencies of dual-band bandpass filter are 0.9 GHz and 2.45 GHz,and the 3-dB bandwidths are 13.7%and 14.3%,respectively.The circuit size is 11 mm×9.5 mm×0.193 mm.The proposed filter has been fabricated and tested,and the measured result is in good agreement with the simulation result.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(11871305)。
文摘this paper,we study Liouville theorem for 3D steady Q-tensor system of liquid crystal in mixed Lorentz spaces.We obtain u=0,Q=0 on the conditions that μ∈L^(p,∞x_(1)L^(q,∞x_(2)L^(r,∞x_(3)(R^(4)∩H^(1)(R^(3),Q∈H^(2)(R^(3),p,q,r∈(3,∞],and 1/p+1/q+1/r≥2/3, which extends some known results.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.62401168,62401139,62401170)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2023MD744197)+2 种基金Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of CPSF(No.GZC20230631)Project for Enhancing Young and Middle-aged Teacher’s Research Basis Ability in Colleges of Guangxi(No.2023KY0218)Guangxi Key Laboratory Foundation of Optoelectronic Information Processing(No.GD23102)。
文摘A programmable low-profile array antenna based on nematic liquid crystals(NLCs)is proposed.Each antenna unit comprises a square patch radiating structure and a tunable NLC-based phase shifter capable of achieving a phase shift exceeding 360°with high linearity.First,the above 64 antenna units are periodically arranged into an 8×8 NLC-based antenna array,and the bias voltage of the NLC-based phase shifter loaded on the antenna unit is adjusted through the control of the field-programmable gate array(FPGA)programming sequences.This configuration enables precise phase changes for all 64 channels.Numerical simulation,sample processing,and experimental measurements of the antenna array are conducted to validate the performance of the antenna.The numerical and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed antenna performs well within the frequency range of 19.5-20.5 GHz,with a 3 dB relative bandwidth of 10%and a maximum main lobe gain of 14.1 dBi.A maximum scanning angle of±34°is achieved through the adjustment of the FPGA programming sequence.This NLC-based programmable array antenna shows promising potential for applications in satellite communication.
