In recent decades, origami has been explored to aid in the design of engineering structures.
These structures span multiple scales and have been demonstrated to be used toward …

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are smart materials capable of changing their shapes in a
predefined manner under a proper applied stimulus and have gained considerable interest …

Fibers capable of generating axial contraction are commonly seen in nature and
engineering applications. Despite the broad applications of fiber actuators, it is still very …

Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are an attractive platform for dynamic shape‐morphing due
to their ability to rapidly undergo large deformations. While recent work has focused on …

Anisotropic 1D contraction motion of polymeric actuating materials has drawn growing
interests in fields ranging from soft robotics to biomimetic muscles. Although light‐driven …

Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are special cross-linked polymer materials combining the
large elastic deformability of elastomers with the orientational orders of liquid crystals. Here …

Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are polymeric materials that combine liquid crystal
orientation and rubber elasticity. The mechanical responses of LCEs strongly depend on the …

Stimulus responsive elastomers are advanced engineered materials that perform desired
functionalities when triggered by external stimuli. Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are one …

Photoactive nematic elastomers are soft rubbery solids that undergo deformation when
illuminated. They are made by incorporating photoactive molecules like azobenzene into …

This work aims to provide a comprehensive review of the continuum models of the phase
behaviors of liquid crystal networks (LCNs), novel materials with various engineering …