The development of advanced liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) with dynamic nature is of paramount significance for a new generation of "smart" applications such as soft robotics, 3D/4D printing, adaptive camouflage, and beyond. The marriage with emerging dynamic covalent chemistry (DCC) is known to endow the LCEs with exciting functional behaviors, hardly seen in ordinary LCEs, such as reprogramming, reprocessing, chemical recycling, and self?healing properties. In this review, we address a systematic overview of LCEs based on DCC, starting with a brief introduction to the structural properties of traditional LCEs and their conventional synthetic chemistries. Emphasis is then on the chemistry of the dynamic covalent bonds (DCBs) so far found in LCEs, focusing on the exchangeable reaction mechanisms, alignment fundamentals, and the influence of composition and topology of the polymer LCE system on their ultimate dynamic properties. Finally, future challenges and opportunities in the development of promising dynamic LCEs and their potential applications are discussed. This review is expected to provide new insights into the development of intelligent liquid crystalline materials that embraces chemistry, nanoscience, materials science, device engineering, and nanotechnology.

» Publication Date: 31/08/2022

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