Reconfigurable fiber actuators with crystallized liquid crystal elastomer and carbon nanotube composites

초록

Stimuli-responsive materials capable of reconfigurable structures are essential for advancing soft robotics, adaptive electronics, and various responsive systems. Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are a unique class of stimuli-responsive polymers with programmable molecular order and rubber elasticity capable of promising properties as artificial muscles, yet their limited mechanical robustness and lack of intrinsic electrical conductivity hinder their integration into functional electronic applications. To address these challenges, here we present semi-crystalline liquid crystal elastomer (cLCE) fibers integrated with forest-drawn carbon nanotube (CNT) sheets, referred to as cLCE/CNT fibers, which combine enhanced mechanical and electrical properties. By a facile fabrication process including stretching of cLCEs, layering of CNTs, and twisting of cLCE/CNT, resulting cLCE/CNT composite fibers provide electrothermal actuation controllability as well as reversible structural reconfiguration capability. This synergistic combination between electrical and mechanical characteristics enables electrothermal manipulation to lift objects 2000 times their own weight with 30 % axial stroke. In addition, reversible crystalline transition provides salient reconfiguration capability of the composite fibers into desired three-dimensional geometries, such as springs and target-optimized grippers, significantly expanding their functional versatility. These advancements establish cLCE/CNT fibers as a scalable and versatile platform for next-generation reconfigurable electronics, bridging the gap between electrical, mechanical, and structural adaptability in various intelligent systems. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.

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