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Journal of Biomedical Research | Volume 29
October 22-23, 2018 | Frankfurt, Germany
International Conference on
Robo t i c s a n d A u t oma t i o n
B iomater ial s and Nanomater ial s
Joint Event
&
Since their development in the 80’s of last century, reactive
mesogens (RM’s) form a versatile class of soft matter
materials that have find their way to a wealth of applications.
The frozen-in molecular order of the polymer networks that
they form upon polymerization brought a new dimension
into liquid crystal technologies. Initially developed for their
use as low shrinkage, low thermal stress coatings, the RM’s
demonstrated their function especially in optical applications.
The large, temperature-stable and adjustable birefringence
was adopted by the display industry for many purposes,
varying from viewing angle enhancement to optical-retarder
based 3D imaging optics. Presently, advanced optical
applications for augmented reality and astronomy lenses are
drawing much attention as well their use for soft responsive
elements by triggered 2D or 3D shape deformations. The
use of RM’s for soft robotics applications is presently studied
by many academic and industrial institutes. Triggered by
heat, light or humidity the polymers change shape, surface
structure or porosity. At Eindhoven University, we developed
self-sustaining oscillators, cilia based micro-transport devices
and haptic surfaces. Films deform from a flat to a complex,
but pre-designed, shape with prospects to light-triggered
origami and self-folding plastic elements. A completely new
development relates to coatings that switch their surfaces from
flat to corrugated with a preset topography. Or, in a different
design, from dry to wet by controlled secretion of liquid.
Properties that enable controlling properties as friction, grip,
lubrication, stick, soil rejection, particle manipulation, etc. The
lecture will discuss our newest developments in responsive
liquid crystal polymer materials, giving a preliminary view on
the future of RM’s with advanced applications in the fields
of oscillatory films, smart coatings, soft robotics and haptics.
Speaker Biography
Dirk J Broer is materials scientist specialized in polymer structuring. He joined Philips
(Eindhoven, Netherlands) in 1973 where he developed materials for data storage,
telecommunication and display optics. From2003 to 2010 he was senior research fellow
and vice president at the Philips Research Laboratories. In 2010, he was appointed
as fulltime professor in Eindhoven to chair the Department Functional Organic
Materials with a research emphasis on clean technologies as energy harvesting, water
treatment and healthcare. From 2015 he is staff member at the Institute for Complex
Molecular Systems in Eindhoven and coordinates a program on responsive soft
materials. He founded the Institute of Device Integrated Responsive Materials, a joint
initiative of South China Normal University and Eindhoven University of Technology.
Broer is member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. In total,
he has 275 publications in peer reviewed journals and more than 120 US patents.
e:
Dirk J Broer
Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands
Liquid crystal soft robotic elements: Triggered 2d and 3d morphing
Dirk J Broer, Robotics & Biomaterials 2018, Volume 29
DOI: 10.4066/biomedicalresearch-C6-015