Community Board pick – Shape programming of liquid crystal elastomers by two-stage wavelength-selective photopolymerization
Natalie Cotterell, Development Editor
Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) have emerged as a leading platform for soft actuators, haptic interfaces, and mechanically responsive materials, owing to their ability to undergo large, reversible shape transformations. Conventional two-stage LCE programming strategies, however, typically rely on a base-catalyzed first crosslinking step, which limits processing time, scalability, and compatibility with modern manufacturing techniques. At the same time, light-based 3D printing has transformed...