New Composites Based on Liquid Crystalline Elastomers and Electroactive Nanomaterials

Abstract

The insertion of inorganic nanoparticles and nanowires in a liquid crystalline elastomeric environment is here investigated. The combination of ferroelectric and conductive properties of the nanomaterials with the thermo-mechanical and shape memory response of liquid single crystal elastomers based on polysiloxane is indeed very promising for new technological applications, such as electroactive actuators. In this work the preparation and physical-chemical properties of new composites are presented and discussed in comparison with those of standard liquid single crystal elastomers (LSCEs). In particular, we are reporting the preliminary results of new composites including either lead titanate nanoparticles or molibdene oxide nanowires, having different electric and conductive properties.

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Identifiers

DOI

10.4028/www.scientific.net/ast.61.34

Journal

Advances in Science and Technology

Year

2008