Title: Molecular Engineering of Photodeformable Liquid Crystal Polymers: Chemical Structure and Network Topology

Author: Xingpeng Chai, Jia Wei*, Yanlei Yu*

Journal: Macromolecules, 2025

Abstract:

In recent years, photodeformable liquid  crystal polymers (LCPs) have attracted considerable interest as a  promising class of materials for soft actuators. The continuous  enhancement of performance and functionality in photodeformable LCPs  highly depend on their chemical/physical cross-linking, the alignment of  mesogens and chemical architectures in the polymer network. As a  result, a range of techniques for LC alignment, cross-linking, and  actuator fabrication have been developed, each tailored to specific  chemical processes and offering different programming capabilities. This  review examines the evolution of polymeric networks, progressing from  permanently cross-linked networks through covalent adaptable networks to  physically cross-linked linear LCP systems, offering insights into the  interplay among chemical composition, alignment approaches, and  processing methods. Finally, we outline unresolved challenges and  promising avenues that are poised to drive the field forward.

论文链接：  https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.5c00992

PDF下载：Molecular Engineering of Photodeformable Liquid Crystal Polymers Chemical Structure and Network Topology.pdf

近年来，光致形变液晶聚合物作为一类极具前景的软体驱动器材料受到了广泛关注。光致形变LCPs性能与功能的持续提升，高度依赖于聚合物网络中的化学/物理交联结构、介晶排列方式及化学构型设计。为此，学界已发展出多种针对不同化学体系的液晶取向、交联及执行器制备技术，这些技术各具特色，并能实现差异化的功能调控。本文系统梳理了从永久共价交联网络、共价可适性网络到物理交联线性LCPs体系的演进脉络，探讨了化学组成、取向策略与加工方法之间的协同机制。最后，我们指出了该领域尚未解决的关键问题与未来发展的潜在路径。