CAREER: Materials Driven by Light: Nonlinear Photomechanics of Liquid Crystal Elastomers

该学院早期职业发展（Career）计划奖的目标是量化液晶聚合物网络的材料行为，这些网络会随着光的变化而改变形状。这项研究将为复杂的光力学行为提供新的认识，并有助于未来设计具有前所未有特性的自适应结构。最近的实验已经证明了高性能，光诱导形状变化；然而，聚合物网络和液晶之间的相互作用知之甚少。能够将聚合物网络相互作用与复杂液晶微观结构和光吸收联系起来的材料模型对于理解这些材料至关重要。光弹性体力学的预测将被制定，模拟，并与实验进行比较。实验将包括使用固态核磁共振（NMR）和致动器尺寸对光刻效率的影响来量化光诱导分子进化。关于液晶聚合物网络力学的新知识的创造有望对开发直接由光驱动的致动器产生广泛的影响，包括机器人操纵器、微流体、能量收集和自适应光学。此外，教育目标将包括通过创建远程基于网络的活性材料实验室和课程、教师活性材料研究体验（RET）计划以及玛丽布罗根艺术与科学博物馆的K-12计划，将研究整合到课程中。博物馆项目将包括一个智能结构风洞模型的实际展示。佛罗里达州立大学和佛罗里达农工大学（一所历史悠久的黑人学院和大学）的联合工程项目也将大量招收未被充分代表的少数族裔。

The objective of this Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program award is to quantify the material behavior of liquid crystal polymer networks that change their shape in response to light. This research will provide a new understanding of complex photomechanical behavior and facilitate the future design of adaptive structures with unprecedented characteristics. Recent experiments have demonstrated high performance, light induced shape changes; however, the interactions between the polymer network and liquid crystals are poorly understood. Material models that can correlate polymer network interactions with complex liquid crystal microstructure and light absorption are critical to understand these materials. Predictions of the photoelastomer mechanics will be formulated, simulated, and compared with experiments. Experiments will include quantifying photo-induced molecular evolution using solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and actuator size effects on photomechanical efficiency.The creation of new knowledge on the mechanics of liquid crystal polymer networks is expected to have broad implications on developing actuators driven directly by light, including robotic manipulators, microfluidics, energy harvesting, and adaptive optics. In addition, the educational objectives will include research integration into the curriculum by creating a remote Web-based active materials laboratory and course, an active materials Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program, and a K-12 program at the Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science. The museum program will include a hands-on exhibit of a smart structure wind tunnel model. Under-represented minorities will also be heavily recruited through the joint engineering program between Florida State University and Florida A&M University (a Historical Black College and University).