Liquid crystal-based structural color actuators

Pei Zhang; Laurens T de Haan; Michael G Debije; Albert P H J Schenning

doi:10.1038/s41377-022-00937-y

Liquid crystal-based structural color actuators

Light Sci Appl. 2022 Aug 5;11(1):248. doi: 10.1038/s41377-022-00937-y.

Authors

Pei Zhang^{1

2}, Laurens T de Haan^{1

3}, Michael G Debije^{4

5}, Albert P H J Schenning^{6

7

8}

Affiliations

¹ Stimuli-responsive Functional Materials and Devices, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
² Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Den Dolech 2, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
³ SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM), National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
⁴ Stimuli-responsive Functional Materials and Devices, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. m.g.debije@tue.nl.
⁵ Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Den Dolech 2, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. m.g.debije@tue.nl.
⁶ Stimuli-responsive Functional Materials and Devices, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. a.p.h.j.schenning@tue.nl.
⁷ Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Den Dolech 2, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. a.p.h.j.schenning@tue.nl.
⁸ SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM), National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China. a.p.h.j.schenning@tue.nl.

Abstract

Animals can modify their body shape and/or color for protection, camouflage and communication. This adaptability has inspired fabrication of actuators with structural color changes to endow soft robots with additional functionalities. Using liquid crystal-based materials for actuators with structural color changes is a promising approach. In this review, we discuss the current state of liquid crystal-based actuators with structural color changes and the potential applications of these structural color actuators in soft robotic devices.

Publication types

Review