Programmed LCE Deconstruction


Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Industrial Design

Team:
Zhong-wei Lin
Fengyu Yu
Julia Pouwels
Jasper Scheffer
Flynn Anschober

Supervisiors:
Prof. Dr. Ir. Stephan Wensveen
Dr. Ir. Lenneke Kuijer
Ciccy Lyu

Course:
Constructive Design Research
(DCM100)
 Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are a type of stimuli-responsive material which can be programmed for reversible deformation [4,5]. We observed that permanent deconstruction of the crystalline structure resulted in unexplored actuation motion. Using the Constructive Design Research methodology Lab [3], we used quantitative and qualitative data to explore targeted deconstruction of LCEs through heat and if this can create asymmetric actuation behavior, which can be utilise to expand the expressive qualities of LCEs.

Building on Kolvenbag et.al. [2] and Winters et.al. [6] research, we propose a method of rapid programming LCEs through deconstructing the crystalline structure through heat. We created three groups of nine LCE fibers, 1) Area-based deconstruction, 2) Spot-based deconstruction, and 3) Control without deconstruction. We actuated all groups from both the deconstructed side and non-deconstructed sides, recording the actuation on video, and analysed the resulting actuation behavior.

After the LCE fibers were deconstructed (Figure 3, 4), we prototyped and produced a measuring environment (Figure 1) in which set variables, such as distance, were controlled. Using a soldering iron to actuate fibers, we recorded the behavior and analysed it quantitatively through a videotracking software, and qualitatively through thematic analysis [1]. Our qualitative analysis provided us with data which represented the acceleration in angle change of each sample. From this we created a set of heat-maps for each group and actuation side, and analysed the data using SPSS analysis for causal effect.

We could not establish a clear relationship between different actuation motion and the actuation side through quantitative analysis, yet our qualitative analysis, using themes outlines by Winters et.al [6] (Figure 5), showed that expressive behaviors were observed. We found that these, especially in co-occurrence with fiber oscillation, created motion which designers may be able to use to create dynamic and asymmetric actuation motion. If consistency in actuation motion is not prioritied, or future research finds a method to improve consistency, deconstruction can be used to create repoducable expressive actuation behavior.

 TU/e ID



Figure 1: LCE measuring enviroment
Figure 2: Hypothesis of actuation behavior
Figure 3: Deconstruction types
Figure 4: LCE deconstruction process
Figure 5: Actuation behavior themes


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References
    1. Virginia Braun and Victoria Clarke. 2006. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology 3, 2: 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

    2. Jay Kolvenbag, Miguel Bruns, and Amy Winters. 2022. Rapid Prototyping Dynamic Robotic Fibers for Tunable Movement. Adjunct Proceedings of the 35th Annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology.: 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1145/3526114.3558696

    3. Ilpo Koskinen, John Zimmerman, Thomas Binder, Johan Redstrom, and Stephan Wensveen. 2013. Design research through practice: from the lab, field, and showroom. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication 56, 3: 262–263. https://doi.org/10.1109/tpc.2013.2274109

    4. Sean J. D. Lugger, Tom a. P. Engels, Ruth Cardinaels, Tom Bus, Dirk J. Mulder, and Albert P. H. J. Schenning. 2023. Melt‐Extruded thermoplastic liquid crystal elastomer rotating fiber actuators. Advanced Functional Materials 33, 49. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202306853

    5. Fengqiang Sun, Hao Jiang, Haoyu Wang, Yueheng Zhong, Yiman Xu, Yi Xing, Muhuo Yu, Liang-Wen Feng, Zheng Tang, Jun Liu, Hengda Sun, Hongzhi Wang, Gang Wang, and Meifang Zhu. 2023. Soft fiber electronics based on semiconducting polymer. Chemical Reviews 123, 8: 4693–4763. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00720

    6. Amy Winters, Iris Bekkers, Dorsa Nayeb Ghanbar Hosseini, Verindi Vekemans, Samuël Weima, and Miguel Bruns. 2022. Dynamic robotic fibers: liquid crystal elastomers for programmable and reversible Shape-Changing behaviors. CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Extended Abstracts: 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1145/3491101.3519769