Photo Responsive Silver Nanoparticles Incorporated Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Nanocomposites Based on Surface Plasmon Resonance

We reported a nano-Ag/liquid crystalline elastomer（LCE） nanocomposite by incorporating silver nanopar- ticles into a monodomain polysiloxane-based LCE matrix via a novel experimental protocol. The photo-thermo- mechanical actuation of the LCE matrix was realized via the surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles while converting light into heat. The photoresponsive properties of nano-Ag/LCE nanocomposites were investigated with varying ilhunination intensities and silver nanoparticle doping concentrations（0.04% to 0.2%, mass fraction）. The nano-Ag/LCE nanocomposites show sensitive deformation under irradiation due to their excellent photothermal con- version efficiency, and this photostimulated muscle-like actuation is fully reversible via the on-off behavior of light. Incorporating silver nanoparticles into the LCE matrix also improves the mechanical properties and enhances the load-actuation capability of the material.