Architected Liquid Crystal Elastomer Lattices with Programmable Energy Absorption

Rodrigo Telles; Julie A Mancini; Jorge-Luis Barrera; Marlini Simoes; Dominique H Porcincula; Adam Bischoff; Devin J Roach; Samuel C Leguizamon; Elaine Lee; Caitlyn C Cook; Jennifer A Lewis

doi:10.1002/adma.202420048

Architected Liquid Crystal Elastomer Lattices with Programmable Energy Absorption

Adv Mater. 2025 Jun 23:e2420048. doi: 10.1002/adma.202420048. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ John A. Paulson, School of Engineering and, Applied Sciences, and Wyss, Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
² Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, 94550, USA.
³ California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA.
⁴ School of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA.
⁵ Advanced Materials Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA.

PMID: 40545974
DOI: 10.1002/adma.202420048

Abstract

Architected LCE lattices are fabricated with flow-induced alignment via direct ink writing and systematically characterized their shape morphing, stiffness, and energy absorption behavior across strain rates spanning six orders of magnitude from 10^-3 to 10³ s^-1. It is shown that architected liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) lattices exhibit superior energy absorption compared to their non-mesogenic (silicone) counterparts. Importantly, the LCE-to-silicone energy absorption ratios are up to 18-fold higher at the highest strain rate tested. A finite element model that captures their shape-morphing response is developed, which exhibits excellent agreement with the experimental observations. The work opens new avenues for designing and fabricating LCE lattices with programmable alignment, shape morphing, and mechanics.

Keywords: active lattices; direct ink writing; energy absorption; liquid crystal elastomers; shape morphing.

Abstract

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