Supporting information of paper "Direct Laser Writing of Liquid Crystal Elastomers Oriented by a Horizontal Electric Field"

This dataset contains the underlying data and the extended data for the paper “Direct Laser Writing of Liquid Crystal Elastomers Oriented by a Horizontal Electric Field”, submitted  for consideration and open review in Open Research Europe.

In the follow the description of the files is reported:

Underlying_data_Surce_Images.zip It contains the source original microscopy image files used for assembling final paper Figures (1-5), enclosed in the main text. List and pictures' information are reported in the file "Source Picture Description.txt" included in the zip.

SIVideo_LCAlignment.avi - [Supporting VideoZ1] showing the response of the unpolymerized mesogens to an electric field of 1.7 V/µm

SIVideo_NailActuation.wmv - [Supporting VideoZ2] showing the thermally activated actuation of a LCE nail microstructure upon several rt-75 °C cycles.

SIVideo_SimulationCube.gif - [Supporting VideoZ3] Video showing a simulation of the actuation of a LCE microcube upon heating.

SIVideo_SimuulationNail.gif - [Supporting VideoZ4] - Video showing a simulation of the actuation of a LCE micronail upon heating.

ImageZ1.png - [Supporting Figure Z1] Simulation of the distribution of the electric field generated by flat electrode, view along the plane (cross section) with magnification of the central part of the working field.

ImageZ2.png - [Supporting Figure Z2] - Photographs and thermal images of a LCE film obtained using a resin formulation identical to that employed in DLW on identical substrates that show the thermal response. Top: photograph of LCE films obtained by UV polymerization of a 7:3 LC-MA:LC-DA mixture over interdigitated flat ITO electrodes with an applied DC voltage. Upon heating with an infrared lamp (right column) the film bends and shortens. Middle: images acquired with a thermocamera highlighting the actuation temperature. Bottom: control LCE film polymerized as casted (without electric field).

ImageZ3.png - [Supporting Figure Z3] - a) Optical microscopy images of a double-cantilever acquired through perpendicularly oriented polarizes placed at 45° with respect to the applied electric field. b) Example of thermally responsive actuation via a comparison of images recorded at room temperature (upper) and at 70 °C (bottom).

Simulations.zip - Comsol (Version 5.6) source simulation files for LCE microcube and LCE micronail upon heating, and for the electric field electric generated by flat electrode in experimental conditions. Complete Report file in PDF is also available, containing all the parameters and equations used for simulation. Finally, the simulation results are provided as text .csv files.

Files_Blender_LCE.zip - Blender (Version 2.93) source file (“.blend”) for microstructure fabrication and generated surface “.stl” files, including cube, nail, cantilever and pyramid geometries.

Cube Describe.zip - Example of DeScribe software output files containing all needed parameters used for printing cubes, generated starting from “cube.stl” file. Other geometries have been realised using the same writing parameters starting from appropriate “.stl” file.