CnBAPE Mesogenic Cores for Low-Temperature LCE Actuation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing liquid crystal elastomers (LCE) based on classical mesogenic cores like CnM exhibit high thermotropic activation temperatures and reduced thermomechanical response due to strong intermolecular interactions, and incorporating non-LC content further compromises their performance.

Innovation Solution

Incorporation of mesogenic cores with only two benzyl rings, such as CnBAPE, reduces intermolecular interactions, lowering thermotropic activation temperatures and enhancing thermomechanical efficiency, and when combined with azobenzene, improves photomechanical response.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If classical liquid crystalline monomers based on CnM are used, then high birefringence and thermal stability are achieved, but thermotropic activation temperature becomes too high (70°C or greater)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermotropic activation temperatureVSAvoidthermomechanical response

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the molecular structure parameter of the mesogenic core from three benzyl rings (CnM) to two benzyl rings (CnBAPE). This structural parameter change reduces intermolecular interaction strength, thereby lowering the thermotropic activation temperature from 70°C or greater to below 70°C while maintaining thermomechanical response capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite liquid crystalline monomer system combining CnBAPE (providing low thermotropic activation temperature) with CnM (providing high birefringence and thermal stability). This composite approach allows the LCE to achieve both low activation temperature and high thermomechanical response by leveraging the complementary properties of each mesogenic core

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Temperature

If non-LC content is incorporated to reduce thermotropic activation temperature, then activation temperature decreases, but thermomechanical response and response rate are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermotropic activation temperatureVSAvoidthermomechanical response rate

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of adding non-LC content, the patent changes the mesogenic core structure parameter to CnBAPE with two benzyl rings. This structural change reduces intermolecular interactions sufficiently to lower activation temperature below 70°C while preserving full liquid crystalline order and thermomechanical response capability, avoiding the performance degradation associated with non-LC content

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20250270447A1Liquid crystal elastomer compositions and methods of making the same

Publication Date: 2025.08.28 THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO

AI summary

Described herein are various embodiments for liquid crystal elastomers (LCE) formed from liquid crystalline monomers having 4-(6-(acryloyloxy) n-oxy) phenyl-4-(6-(acryloyloxy)m-oxy)benzoate (CnBAPE) as the mesogenic core. The LCEs described herein have improved thermotropic characteristics, including lower thermotropic activation temperatures. The LCEs described herein may also incorporate azobenzene to thereby also enhance the phototropic properties of the LCE.