Magnetic polydomain liquid crystal elastomers – synthesis and characterisation

Although liquid crystal elastomers (LCE) are a fascinating class of materials with interesting thermomechanical properties their own, the aim is to enhance performance or add new features, e.g. response external stimuli. The generally weak organic can be significantly intensified by mixing nano-sized magnetic particles into host polymer matrix. An alternative approach chemically coupling nanoparticles elastomer. We achieved this bonding functionalised nanoplatelets backbone main-chain LCE and obtained polydomain elastomers. measured magnetisation curves in samples, which were exposed either small large fields – being consequence partial particle reorientation moment flipping. In contrast field remanent reset zero heating sample, samples flipped within platelets cannot reversed original state. Coupling mechanical shows slight magneto-elastic at elevated temperatures significant inverse effect: caused stretching almost equal an field.