Bridging sensing and action: autonomous object sorting by reprogrammable liquid crystal elastomers

Lorena Montesino, María López-Valdeolivas, Jesús I. Martínez and Carlos Sánchez-Somolinos

Mater. Horiz., 2025, 12, 5149
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Photoswitches in Order: One-Pot Synthesis of Azobenzene Main-Chain and Segmented Copolymers

Ruggero Rossi, Daniele Martella, Camilla Parmeggiani, Max Hirschmann and Tiziana Fuoco

ACS Appl. Polym. Mater., 2024, 6, 1563
DOI: 10.1021/acsapm.3c02849

Splay aligned liquid crystal network photoactuators for integrated microfluidic pumps

Christina Schmidleithner, Yuxin You, Filip Staniszewski, Stefan Schrittwieser, Dirk J. Broer and Johannes R. Peham

Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2024, 412, 135820
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Vacuum Thermoforming of Optically Switchable Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Spherical Actuators

Lansong Yue, Erik P. J. Ambergen, Sean J. D. Lugger, Akhil Reddy Peeketi, Ratna Kumar Annabattula, Albert P. H. J. Schenning and Michael G. Debije

Advanced Materials, 2024, 36
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Spatiotemporally Controlled Soft Robotics with Optically Responsive Liquid Crystal Elastomers

Elizabeth R. Blackert, Phoebe Scaccia, Morgan Barnes, Taniya M. S. K. Pathiranage, Rafael Verduzco, Vaibhav Unhelkar and Hanyu Zhu

Advanced Intelligent Systems, 2025, 7
DOI: 10.1002/aisy.202500045

Liquid Crystal Networks Meet Water: It's Complicated!

Natalie P. Pinchin, Hongshuang Guo, Henning Meteling, Zixuan Deng, Arri Priimagi and Hamed Shahsavan

Advanced Materials, 2024, 36
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Programmable 4D-Printed Soft Actuators: Harnessing Bending Strain Distribution for Embedded Topological Functionality

Anas Saifi, Smruti Parimita, Amit Kumar and Pijush Ghosh

ACS Appl. Eng. Mater., 2025, 3, 1745
DOI: 10.1021/acsaenm.5c00225

The appealing prospect of hydrogel in 3D/4D printing technology: Overview and opportunities

Yakubu Adekunle Alli, Hazleen Anuar, Abayomi Bamisaye, Mohd Romainor Manshor, Nelson Oshogwue Etafo, Muyideen Olaitan Bamidele, Mikail Abiodun Rasheed, Simeon Kayowa Olatunde, Ayobami Samuel Akinfenwa and Afolashade Lawal

Polymer, 2024, 315, 127823
DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2024.127823

Light-responsive patternable photonic cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers containing azobenzene and disulfide linkages

Khuong Luu, Hyun-Jin Jo, You-Jeong Jeong and Soo-Young Park

European Polymer Journal, 2025, 226, 113744
DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2025.113744

Multimodal and Multistimuli 4D-Printed Magnetic Composite Liquid Crystal Elastomer Actuators

Erick R. Espíndola-Pérez, Javier Campo and Carlos Sánchez-Somolinos

ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2024, 16, 2704
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c14607

Recent Advances in 4D Printing of Advanced Materials and Structures for Functional Applications

Xue Wan, Zhongmin Xiao, Yujia Tian, Mei Chen, Feng Liu, Dong Wang, Yong Liu, Paulo Jorge Da Silva Bartolo, Chunze Yan, Yusheng Shi, Ruike Renee Zhao, Hang Jerry Qi and Kun Zhou

Advanced Materials, 2024, 36
DOI: 10.1002/adma.202312263

Effect of methylene lengths of 4-(ω-(methylimidazole)-alkyloxy)-4’-(cyano)-biphenyl on cellulose liquid crystal solution and its phase transition properties

Jun Song, Linfeng Wang, Jicheng Shan, Chuanmeng Li and Mengdie Wang

Cellulose, 2024, 31, 6141
DOI: 10.1007/s10570-024-05993-8

Light responsive liquid crystal elastomer with intramolecular polymerizable MXene for microneedle insertion control

Xiang Li, Bingjue Li, Peng Huang, Youqiang Xing, Ze Wu and Lei Liu

Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2025, 439, 137809
DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2025.137809

Leveraging Instabilities in Multifunctional Soft Materials: A Cutting Edge Review

Prathik Narayanan, Ratnadeep Pramanik and Arunachalakasi Arockiarajan

Adv Eng Mater, 2025
DOI: 10.1002/adem.202500125

Reprogrammable 4D Printed Liquid Crystal Elastomer Photoactuators by Means of Light‐Reversible Perylene Diimide Radicals

Lorena Montesino, Jesús I. Martínez and Carlos Sánchez‐Somolinos

Adv Funct Materials, 2024, 34
DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202309019

Four-Dimensional Micro/Nanorobots via Laser Photochemical Synthesis towards the Molecular Scale

Yufeng Tao, Liansheng Lin, Xudong Ren, Xuejiao Wang, Xia Cao, Heng Gu, Yunxia Ye, Yunpeng Ren and Zhiming Zhang

Micromachines, 2023, 14, 1656
DOI: 10.3390/mi14091656

Comprehensive Study of Actuation Mechanisms and Applications in Liquid Crystalline Polymer Networks and Elastomer from Nanometer Precision to Macroscale Functionality

Geunjung Lee, Baekman Kim and Dong Ki Yoon

Macromol. Rapid Commun., 2025, 46
DOI: 10.1002/marc.202401086

Physically Cross-Linked Main-Chain Ortho-Fluorinated Azobenzene Semicrystalline Polymer Photoactuators with Ultralarge Contraction and Multiple Reprogrammable Properties via Simple Thermal Annealing

Lei Wang, Shengkui Ma, Yan Zhou, Zhaoyang Zhang and Huiqi Zhang

ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2025, 17, 36034
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Photoresponsive Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering

Rui Luo, Xianjing Xiang, Qiangqiang Jiao, Hui Hua and Yuping Chen

ACS Biomater. Sci. Eng., 2024, 10, 3612
DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.4c00314

4D Printing with Liquid Crystal Elastomers: Materials, Methods, and Emerging Applications

Raj Kumar Khan

ChemPlusChem, 2025, 90
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4D printing: reality or myth?

Joana F. Henriques, Ana M. Sousa and Ana P. Piedade

4DP, 2025
DOI: 10.1108/4DP-12-2024-0002

Design, Synthesis, and Performance of Photo‐Responsive Liquid Crystal Polymers with Stepwise Deformation Capability

Qin Gui, Zui Liu, Xiangling Sun, Guangqiang Guo, Yongjie Yuan and Hailiang Zhang

Macromol. Rapid Commun., 2024, 45
DOI: 10.1002/marc.202400193

Melt-extruded light-responsive amphibious liquid crystal elastomer fibers with reprogrammable actuation modes

Xue Wan, Michael G. Debije, Fabien Sorin, Mei Chen, Kun Zhou and Albert P.H.J. Schenning

Chemical Engineering Journal, 2025, 505, 159358
DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2025.159358

Photochemically Induced Propulsion of a 4D Printed Liquid Crystal Elastomer Biomimetic Swimmer

Paolo Sartori, Rahul Singh Yadav, Jesús del Barrio, Antonio DeSimone and Carlos Sánchez‐Somolinos

Advanced Science, 2024, 11
DOI: 10.1002/advs.202308561