American researchers have developed materials that can be thermally deformed with light

American researchers have developed a new material that can be converted to a preset shape after being stimulated by light and heat. This kind of controllable deformation material is expected to be widely used in the fields of robots, biomedical equipment and artificial muscles.

A study published in the American Journal of Scientific Progress on the 24th showed that the new material uses a liquid crystal elastomer that can achieve bidirectional deformation, and this deformation can be observed by the naked eye.

The liquid crystal elastomer is a polymer material, and the most common one is applied to a liquid crystal television display. The unique molecular arrangement of liquid crystal elastomers causes them to change after being stimulated by the outside world. However, such changes often require intensive, irreversible programming methods to achieve.

In the new study, the researchers installed a photosensitive switch in the liquid crystal elastomer. After contacting a specific wavelength of light, the molecules were first arranged in a certain way and deformed after contact with thermal stimulation. For example, a "thousand paper crane" stacked with this material will retain its original shape at room temperature. When heated to about 93 degrees Celsius, the "Thousand Paper Cranes" will stretch and flatten, and then return to the original state after cooling to room temperature.