Development of liquid crystalline micromotorsto sophisticate advancedmedical instruments

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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.