Research output: Thesis › Doctoral Thesis
Research output: Thesis › Doctoral Thesis
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TY - BOOK
T1 - Stimuli-responsive liquid crystal elastomer microparticles
AU - Taylor, James
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - This thesis centres on the creation of nematic and chiral nematic polymer and elastomer microparticles, with defined confinement textures due to surface anchoring from the host solvent, using a series of novel nematic and chiral nematic monomers. Droplets were produced using a homemade microfluidic technique and photo-polymerised into particles, followed by an analysis of the responsive properties. The synthesis of nematic and chiral nematic monomers, polymers and elastomers, as well as the characterisation of their thermal and optical properties is presented. Chiral nematic mixtures were polymerised into thin-films capable of visible selective reflection and which experience a pitch contraction upon removal of a chiral dopant. The design and development of amicrofluidic chip to create monodisperse droplets is discussed. The droplets were photopolymerised by two methods into elastomer particles and the reversible shape change responses to temperature were analysed. Monodisperse chiral nematic droplets and particles were made, using the monomer mixtures established together with the microfluidic technique developed, and concluded with an investigation of the responsiveness of the particles to external stimuli.
AB - This thesis centres on the creation of nematic and chiral nematic polymer and elastomer microparticles, with defined confinement textures due to surface anchoring from the host solvent, using a series of novel nematic and chiral nematic monomers. Droplets were produced using a homemade microfluidic technique and photo-polymerised into particles, followed by an analysis of the responsive properties. The synthesis of nematic and chiral nematic monomers, polymers and elastomers, as well as the characterisation of their thermal and optical properties is presented. Chiral nematic mixtures were polymerised into thin-films capable of visible selective reflection and which experience a pitch contraction upon removal of a chiral dopant. The design and development of amicrofluidic chip to create monodisperse droplets is discussed. The droplets were photopolymerised by two methods into elastomer particles and the reversible shape change responses to temperature were analysed. Monodisperse chiral nematic droplets and particles were made, using the monomer mixtures established together with the microfluidic technique developed, and concluded with an investigation of the responsiveness of the particles to external stimuli.
KW - Liquid crystals
KW - Liquid crystal elastomers
KW - Liquid crystal polymers
KW - Microparticles
KW - Microfluidics
KW - Stimuli-Responsive Materials
KW - Chirality
KW - Materials Chemistry
KW - Shape memory polymers
KW - Shape changing
KW - Colour changing
KW - Droplets
KW - Particles
KW - Nematic liquid crystals
KW - Nematic phase
KW - Selective reflection
KW - Materials characterisation
KW - Chiral nematic phase
KW - Crosslinking
U2 - 10.17635/lancaster/thesis/764
DO - 10.17635/lancaster/thesis/764
M3 - Doctoral Thesis
PB - Lancaster University
ER -