0000000000537781
AUTHOR
Torsten G. Linder
Influence of a Crosslinker Containing an Azo Group on the Actuation Properties of a Photoactuating LCE System
Photoactuating liquid crystalline elastomers (LCE) are promising candidates for an application as artificial muscles in microdevices. In this work, we demonstrate that by optimizing (1) the illumination conditions and (2) the mixture of azo monomer and azo crosslinker, thick films of an all-azo LCE can be prepared, which show a strong length change without bending during photoactuation. This becomes possible by working with white light (about 440 nm), whose absorption is low, leading to a large penetration depth. By adding an azo crosslinker to a previously prepared system, several improvements of the actuation properties—like a stronger photoactuation at lower operational temperatures—coul…
A Nonconventional Approach toward Multihydroxy Functional Polystyrenes Relying on a Simple Grignard Reagent
Capitalizing on the inertness of styrene toward Grignard reagents, 4-vinylphenylmagnesium bromide was utilized for the rapid and convenient preparation of the protected monomer 2,2-dimethyl-4-(4-vi...