Fangfu Ye

Shape Selection of Twist-Nematic-Elastomer Ribbons

How microscopic chirality is reflected in macroscopic scale to form various chiral shapes, such as straight helicoids and spiral ribbons, and how the degree of macroscopic chirality can be controlled are a focus of studies on the shape formation of many biomaterials and supramolecular systems. This article investigates both experimentally and theoretically how the chiral arrangement of liquid crystal mesogens in twist-nematic-elastomer films induces the formation of helicoids and spiral ribbons because of the coupling between the liquid crystalline order and the elasticity. It is also shown that the pitch of the formed ribbons can be tuned by temperature variation. The results of this study will facilitate the understanding of physics for the shape formation of chiral materials and the designing of new structures on basis of microscopic chirality.

Shape and chirality transitions in off-axis twist nematic elastomer ribbons

Using both experiments and finite element simulations, we explore the shape evolution of off-axis twist nematic elastomer ribbons as a function of temperature. The elastomers are prepared by cross-linking the mesogens with planar anchoring of the director at top and bottom surfaces with a 90° left-handed twist. Shape evolution depends sensitively on the off-axis director orientation at the sample midplane. Both experiments and theoretical studies show that when the director at midplane is parallel to either the ribbons long or short axes, ribbons form either helicoids or spirals depending on aspect ratio and temperature. Simulation studies show that if the director at midplane is off-axis, ribbons never form helicoids, instead evolving to distorted spiral shapes. Experimental studies for two samples with off-axis geometry show agreement with this prediction. Samples in all these geometries show a remarkable transition from right- to left-handed chiral shapes on change of temperature. Simulations predict off-axis samples also change their macroscopic chirality at fixed temperature, depending on the angular offset. These results provide insight into the mechanisms driving shape evolution and macroscopic chirality, enabling engineering design of these materials for future applications.

Modeling Elastic Instabilities in Nematic Elastomers

Liquid crystal elastomers are cross-linked polymer networks covalently bonded with liquid crystal mesogens. In the nematic phase, due to strong coupling between mechanical strain and orientational order, these materials display strain-induced instabilities associated with formation and evolution of orientational domains. Using a three-dimensional finite element elastodynamics simulation, we investigate one such instability, the onset of stripe formation in a monodomain film stretched along an axis perpendicular to the nematic director. In our simulation, we observe the formation of striped domains with alternating director rotation. This model allows us to explore the fundamental physics governing dynamic mechanical response of nematic elastomers and also provides a potentially useful computational tool for engineering device applications.

Modeling out-of-plane actuation in thin-film nematic polymer networks: From chiral ribbons to auto-origami boxes via twist and topology

Various experimental and theoretical studies demonstrate that complex stimulus-responsive out-of-plane distortions such as twist of different chirality, emergence of cones, simple and anticlastic bending can be engineered and pre-programmed in a liquid crystalline rubbery material given a well-controlled director microstructure. Via 3-d finite element simulation studies, we demonstrate director-encoded chiral shape actuation in thin-film nematic polymer networks under external stimulus. Furthermore, we design two complex director fields with twisted nematic domains and nematic disclinations that encode a pattern of folds for an auto-origami box. This actuator will be flat at a reference nematic state and form four well-controlled bend distortions as orientational order changes. Device fabrication is applicable via current experimental techniques. These results are in qualitative agreement with theoretical predictions, provide insight into experimental observations, and demonstrate the value of finite element methods at the continuum level for designing and engineering liquid crystal polymeric devices.

Curvature-induced lipid segregation

We investigate how an externally imposed curvature influences lipid segregation on two-phase-coexistent membranes. We show that the bending-modulus contrast of the two phases and the curvature act together to yield a reduced effective line tension. On largely curved membranes, a state of multiple domains (or rafts) forms due to a mechanism analogous to that causing magnetic-vortex formation in type-II superconductors. We determine the criterion for such multi-domain state to occur; we then calculate respectively the size of the domains formed on cylindrically and spherically curved membranes.We investigate how an externally imposed curvature influences lipid segregation on two-phase-coexistent membranes. We show that the bending-modulus contrast of the two phases and the curvature act together to yield a reduced effective line tension. On largely curved membranes, a state of multiple domains (or rafts) forms due to a mechanism analogous to that causing magnetic-vortex formation in type-II superconductors. We determine the criterion for such a multi-domain state to occur; we then calculate respectively the size of the domains formed on cylindrically and spherically curved membranes.