Development of liquid crystalline micromotorsto sophisticate advancedmedical instruments

在液晶上施加一个电场，使棒状分子旋转，结果引起一种称为回流的流动。我们利用回流技术研制了小型电机，为了研究尺寸效应，我们制作了轴径分别为70μm、100μm和485μm的三种尺寸的电机。这些马达转动平稳。由于本研究中开发的电机通过与旋转轴外表面接触的液晶部分中产生的剪切力旋转，因此电机的尺寸越小，转速越高。最小的一个获得了最大旋转，并且该值约为30 rpm。

Imposition of an electric field ona liquid crystal rotates the rodlike molecules, andresultantlya flow, called backflow, is induced. We developed small size of motors by using the backflow.In order to investigate the size effect, we manufactured three sizes of motors whose diameters of axes are 70μm, 100μm and 485μm. These motors rotate smoothlyand steadily. Since the motors developed in this study rotatebythe shear force generated in a portion of liquid crystal in contactwith the outer surfaceof therotation axis,the smallersize of the motor gives the higher rotation speed. The maximumrotationwasobtained for the smallest one, and the value was approximately 30 rpm.