writer：Wang, M.; Song, Y.; Bisoyi, H. K.; Yang, J.; Liu, L.; Yang, H.*; Li, Q.*
keywords：aerogel
source：期刊
specific source：Advanced Science, 2021, 8, 2102674.
Issue time：2021年

With the advantage of reversible shape-morphing between two different

permanent shapes under external stimuli, the two-way shape-memory aerogel

is expected to become a preferred aerogel for developing practical

applications in actuators, sensors, robotics, and more. Herein, the first

two-way shape-memory liquid crystal elastomer (LCE)-based aerogel is

prepared by an orthogonal heat and light curing strategy coupled with an

intermediate mechanical stretching step. The differential scanning

calorimetry, temperature-varied wide-angle X-ray scattering, and polarizing

optical microscope results indicate that the aerogel possesses a liquid crystal

phase and the insider mesogens are well-oriented along the stretching

direction. In addition to having superior compressibility and excellent shape

stability, this LCE-based aerogel can perform a reversible shape deformation

during the heating/cooling cycles with a shrinkage ratio of 37%. The work,

that is disclosed here, realizes a truly two-way shape-memory behavior rather

than the one-way shape deformation of traditional polymer aerogel materials,

and may promote potential applications of this novel LCE-based aerogel

material in control devices, soft actuators, and beyond.