1. Open Access Kent State
  2. Experimental Studies of the Mechanisms of Photomechanical Effects in a Nematic Liquid Crystal Elastomer
Author(s)
Abstract

Azo-dye-doped liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are known to show a strong photomechanical response. We report on experiments that suggest that photothermal heating is the underlying mechanism in surface-constrained geometry. In particular, we use optical interferometry to probe the length change of the material and direct temperature measurements to determine heating. LCEs with various dopants and optical density were used to study the individual mechanisms. In the high dye-doped limit, most of the light is absorbed near the entry surface, which causes a local strain from photothermal heating and a nonlocal strain from thermal diffusion. The results of our research on the microscopic mechanisms of the photomechanical response can be applied to designing photomechanical materials for actuating/sensing devices, the potential basis of smart structures. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America
Format
Article
Identifier(s)
10.1364/JOSAB.28.001916
Publication Date
2011-08-01
Publication Title
Journal of the Optical Society of America B-Optical Physics
Volume
28
Issue
8
First Page
1916
Last Page
1921
Keywords
Subject
Rights
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Community
Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program
Comments

This paper was published in the Journal of the Optical Society of America B and is made available as an electronic reprint with the permission of OSA. The paper can be found at the following URL on the OSA website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/JOSAB.28.001916.Systematic or multiple reproduction or distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means is prohibited and is subject to penalties under law.
Permalink https://oaks.kent.edu/cpippubs/361
Dawson, N., Kuzyk, M., Neal, J., Luchette, P., & Palffy-Muhoray, P. (2011). Experimental Studies of the Mechanisms of Photomechanical Effects in a Nematic Liquid Crystal Elastomer (1–). Journal of the Optical Society of America B-Optical Physics. https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAB.28.001916
Dawson, Nathan, Mark Kuzyk, Jeremy Neal, Paul Luchette, and Peter Palffy-Muhoray. 2011. “Experimental Studies of the Mechanisms of Photomechanical Effects in a Nematic Liquid Crystal Elastomer”. Journal of the Optical Society of America B-Optical Physics. https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAB.28.001916.
Dawson, Nathan, et al. Experimental Studies of the Mechanisms of Photomechanical Effects in a Nematic Liquid Crystal Elastomer. Journal of the Optical Society of America B-Optical Physics, 1 Aug. 2011, https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAB.28.001916.