Body temperature liquid crystalline elastomer compositions and methods of manufacture and use

Abstract

Provided herein are liquid crystalline elastomer (LCE) compositions capable of achieving high actuation strain in the narrow range of physiologically safe and relevant temperatures and methods of making the same. The methods disclosed herein leverage synthetic and processing approaches to achieve reversible shape change of LCE materials without the need for a bias load over the temperature range observed in contact with or inside the human body. The present methods utilize strategies to align the material polymer chains in their nematic state. By using processing conditions below a nematic-to-isotropic transition temperature (Tni) of the LCEs, the polymer chains can be suitably aligned and the resulting LCE can achieve reversible shape change over a physiologically relevant temperature range.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.