3D Printing Breakthrough for Shape-Changing Materials in Robotics
Researchers develop innovative liquid crystalline elastomer materials that transform shape, offering significant potential for robotics, medical devices, and energy systems.
A team led by Oregon State University (OSU) researcher Devin Roach has introduced a novel 3D printing approach to create liquid crystalline elastomer (LCE) structures. These materials, described as “soft motors,” are capable of crawling, folding, and snapping immediately after being printed. Their unique properties make them highly suitable for advanced applications, including robotics, biomedical devices, and energy systems.
“LCEs are basically soft motors,” explained Roach, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at OSU. “Since they’re soft, unlike regular motors, they work great with our inherently soft bodies. So they can be used as implantable medical devices, for example, to deliver drugs at targeted locations, as stents for procedures in target areas, or as urethral implants that help with incontinence.”
The research, published in Advanced Materials, explores how LCEs’ molecular alignment during printing can unlock their full potential, paving the way for innovations in multiple fields.
Potential Applications Across Industries
LCEs stand out due to their ability to convert thermal energy into mechanical energy, making them ideal for energy storage and delivery systems. Their versatility extends to soft robotics, a field poised to benefit from materials that mimic biological movement. Roach emphasised their utility, saying, “Flexible robots incorporating LCEs could explore areas that are unsafe or unfit for humans to go. They have also been shown to have promise in aerospace as actuators for automated systems such as those for deep space grappling, radar deployment or extraterrestrial exploration.”
In addition to robotics, LCEs’ properties—anisotropy and viscoelasticity—enhance their performance in damping mechanical vibrations. This aspect was the focus of related research led by Roach and his team, published in Advanced Engineering Materials. The study demonstrated that direct ink write 3D printing, another advanced fabrication method, could produce LCE-based damping devices capable of reducing vibrations across various applications. These include automotive shock absorbers and seismic dampers for earthquake-prone areas.
Advancing 3D Printing Techniques
The success of these innovative materials hinges on precise molecular alignment during 3D printing. Roach and his collaborators—including researchers from Harvard University, the University of Colorado, and national laboratories—used a magnetic field during digital light processing, a form of additive manufacturing, to achieve this alignment. By varying magnetic field strength and adjusting factors like layer thickness, the team successfully produced LCE structures with complex shapes capable of predictable, responsive movements when exposed to heat.
Digital light processing is a 3D printing technique that uses light to harden liquid resin into precise solid shapes. The team’s advancements in this area represent a significant step forward in producing functional materials for real-world applications.
“Our work opens up new possibilities for creating advanced materials that respond to stimuli in useful manners, potentially leading to innovations in multiple fields,” said Roach.
The development of these shape-changing materials showcases the potential of 3D printing technologies to transform industries ranging from medicine to robotics and energy. As researchers continue to refine these methods, their widespread implementation could lead to safer exploration, more efficient energy systems, and improved medical treatments.
