Programmable Liquid Crystal Elastomers Prepared by Thiol–Ene Photopolymerization

. Here, we report a distinct formulation strategy to realize programmable stimulus-response in LCEs. Photopolymerization of thiol-ene/acrylate formulations yields materials that exhibit large reversible strain up to 150%. The photopolymerization reaction is extremely rapid, reducing preparation time from days to minutes. The mechanical behavior of these materials can be tuned by varying cross-link density. Spatial and hierarchical programming of the director profile is demonstrated, enabling 3-D shape change, including twisting ribbons and localized Gaussian curvature.