Mechanic and electromechanic effects in biaxially stretched liquid crystal elastomers

Diaz-Calleja, R.; Llovera-Segovia, P.; Riande, E.; Quijano López, A.
Applied Physics Letters 2013, 102

The effect of combined electromechanic force fields in nematic side chain liquid crystalelastomers will be analyzed. A biaxially stretched plate in the x- and y-directions under anelectric field applied in the perpendicular direction to the plate will be considered. A neo-Hookean model is chosen, which implies Gaussian behaviour. Results are obtained for both a soft and semisoft case showing the effect of the electric field on the rotation of the director and the free energy density function.