Thermal Deformation of Polydomain Nematic Elasomers Using the Soft Elasticity

Abstract

We investigate the thermal actuation of polydomain liquid crystal nematic elastomers (PNEs) under finite constant load which is sufficiently large to induce polydomain-to-monodomain transition. Strain of PNEs under constant load is constant in the isotropic state but increases with decreasing temperature in the nematic state. This behavior is similar to the thermal actuation behavior of monodomain nematic elastomer under no load. The degree of thermal actuation increases with an increase in load. This result stems from an increase in the mesogen alignment.