Study of the optical, thermal, and mechanical properties of nematic liquid crystal elastomers

In the present study, the optical, thermal, and mechanical properties of liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) were investigated using various techniques. The presence of functional groups in LCE was studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The phase transition temperatures were confirmed via polarizing optical microscopy and Fabry-Perot scattering studies. The differential thermal analysis was used for investigating the thermal behavior. A dynamic mechanical analysis was used to study the mechanical properties of LCE. The significant mechanical changes with a considerable reversible effect were observed for this soft material. The changes in the mechanical shape with the temperature are attributed to the change in the phase of the LCE material.