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The artificial replication of learning phenomena is an emerging domain with proven social impact. In this paper, we advance composite responsive material behavior toward learning by inducing memory-dependent functions through repeated exposure to a priming stimulus. For this, we integrate a photochromic spiropyran dopant into our liquid crystal network (LCN) to control its electrical actuation. UV light irradiation increases charge density by triggering the spiropyran-to-merocyanine zwitterion conversion, "gating" the permittivity of the LCN, and reducing the alternating electric field strength threshold required for actuation by up to 67.8% from its initial state. This UV-gating effect persists in the LCN as a memorized behavior. Resembling biological memory, the UV-gated memory is reversible and erased from the material over time. This is accelerated by up to 20% by irradiation with a green light "memory-wiping" agent. We envision that our work will contribute to the development of artificially intelligent materials for self-learning appliances and medical devices.
Astam et al. (Fri,) studied this question.