Controlled actuated membranes and methods of making same

摘要

The invention describes shape changing membranes that can be precisely controlled using the unique approach of smectic liquid-crystalline elastomers (LCEs) with patterned electrodes and a process of preparing and creating the elastomers. The methods to create the shape changing membranes is based on the electroclinic effect of smectic layers in a polymer network and provides a novel material for actuators.