Quantifying the microstructure of 4D printed materials for soft robotics

While 3D printing of conventional materials produces inanimate 3D objects with static shape, recently introduced printing of responsive materials adds time as a 4th dimension, as it leads to architectures that, with an appropriate stimulus, change their shape over time. The relationship between printing parameters and mechanical performance of the 4D printed components is not well understood, mainly due to the lack of microscopic information on the material morphology achieved after its processing in different conditions. This proposal aims to gain knowledge on the key factors affecting the microstructure of 4D printed liquid crystal elastomers, in order to be able to control them and improve elements performance as mechanical actuators.