'Super elastic' material changes shape according to temperature

The newly created liquid crystal elastomers can form many different shapes and move from one form to another under the action of heat.

Newly created polymer materials are as elastic as rubber. It can be made into complex shapes at room temperature, but when heated to a transition temperature of about 80 degrees, it will "melt" into a flat shape. When cooled, it returns to its original shape in minutes.

This special material was created by Professor Rafael Verduzco and his colleague Morgan Barnes of Rice University, promising high applicability in biomedical and soft robot technology.

Verduzco, a professor of nanotechnology and materials science, said that scientists have long sought to create elastic materials and liquid crystals, but few think about interacting with them. .

A face made of new material - (Photo: Jeff Fitlow / Rice University).

"We think that if we can optimize the balance between physical forms, make them not too hard or not too soft, there will be subtle shape changes like this material, " Verduzco said. .

Material in liquid crystal state is the easiest form to shape. When the material is shaped in the mold, after five minutes under ultraviolet light, crystal order will be established.

Unlike other polymers that only change simple shapes like stretching and shrinking, this new material can transform from 2D shapes to 3D shapes or from 3D to other 3D shapes.

The team's next goal is to lower the transition temperature of material shapes.

"If they can change shape at body temperature, it will open us for more biomedical applications. It can be applied in creating smart phone buttons or Braille text for Barnes, " said Barnes.

In addition, the researchers are also inventing materials that respond to light, not just the current heat.

"Instead of heating the whole thing, using light to activate a piece of the specimen would be an easier way to control a soft robot that mimics future biological movement , " the team said.