Design and Development of Liquid Crystal Elastomerepoxy Resin Microactuator Enabling Dual-Mode Deformation Switching

This paper presents a thermally actuated bilayer actuator fabricated from a synergistic combination of a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) and a shape memory polymer (SMP). Capitalizing on their distinct thermomechanical properties, we innovatively fabricated the LCE-SMP bilayer using a spin-coating technique, which was validated as feasible through SEM analysis. The resulting actuator exhibits reversible and tunable deformation, coupled with significantly enhanced mechanical performance; its modulus is$2-3$times greater than that of single-layer counterparts. To demonstrate its practical utility, we explored diverse structural designs and proposed a specific application as a valve. This actuator design not only offers a cost-effective solution but also aligns with the engineering trend toward miniaturization and intelligent systems, thereby providing new impetus for innovation in related fields.