Hybrid Topology Enables 3D‐Printable Liquid Crystal Network with Synergistic Mechanical Robustness and Energy‐Dissipation

ABSTRACT Liquid crystal networks (LCNs), characterized by their unique dynamic mechanical properties derived from LC mesogens, have emerged as one of the most promising materials for ubiquitous vibration and impact protection. Additive manufacturing further expands their potential by enabling the fabrication of lightweight and customizable architectures with tailored energy‐dissipation properties. However, the requirements of photocurable groups inherently constrains network topology, hindering synergistic enhancement in energy dissipation and mechanical robustness, a fundamental challenge for energy‐dissipative polymers. Here, we propose a topology‐engineering strategy to access hybrid‐topology liquid crystal network (HT‐LCN) that integrates LC mesogens, linear polymer chains, dangling chains, and crystalline domains within a single printable network, enabling multiple energy‐dissipation mechanisms while preserving structural robustness. As a result, HT‐LCNs exhibit an ultrawide effective damping temperature range (∼200°C), exceptional toughness (68 MJ m − 3 ), and the highest impact absorption reported for 3D‐printable polymeric matrix materials (179 MJ m − 3 @4000 s − 1 ). Furthermore, HT‐LCN‐based architectures show more than 200% higher specific energy dissipation than conventional printed systems, paving the way for designing and engineering robust 3D printable energy‐dissipation devices.

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Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Functional Materials
Published
2026-09-10
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.78363
Primary Topic
Advanced Materials and Mechanics
Type
article
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Hybrid Topology Enables 3D‐Printable Liquid Crystal Network with Synergistic Mechanical Robustness and Energy‐Dissipation

Qiulin Chen, Yen Wei, Yan Ji, Yang Yang et al.
Advanced Functional Materials
Advanced Materials and Mechanics
article

Hybrid Topology Enables 3D‐Printable Liquid Crystal Network with Synergistic Mechanical Robustness and Energy‐Dissipation

Qiulin Chen, Yen Wei, Yan Ji, Yang Yang, Huan Liang, Jiayin Zhou, Zhenyi Liang, Enjian He, Shuhan Zhang, Guoli Wang, Zhijun Yang, Mingrui Wu, Xiao Wang, Yixuan Wang
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Liquid crystal networks (LCNs), characterized by their unique dynamic mechanical properties derived from LC mesogens, have emerged as one of the most promising materials for ubiquitous vibration and impact protection. Additive manufacturing further expands their potential by enabling the fabrication of lightweight and customizable architectures with tailored energy‐dissipation properties. However, the requirements of photocurable groups inherently constrains network topology, hindering synergistic enhancement in energy dissipation and mechanical robustness, a fundamental challenge for energy‐dissipative polymers. Here, we propose a topology‐engineering strategy to access hybrid‐topology liquid crystal network (HT‐LCN) that integrates LC mesogens, linear polymer chains, dangling chains, and crystalline domains within a single printable network, enabling multiple energy‐dissipation mechanisms while preserving structural robustness. As a result, HT‐LCNs exhibit an ultrawide effective damping temperature range (∼200°C), exceptional toughness (68 MJ m − 3 ), and the highest impact absorption reported for 3D‐printable polymeric matrix materials (179 MJ m − 3 @4000 s − 1 ). Furthermore, HT‐LCN‐based architectures show more than 200% higher specific energy dissipation than conventional printed systems, paving the way for designing and engineering robust 3D printable energy‐dissipation devices.

Advanced Functional Materials
China Southern Power Grid (China) (CN), Tsinghua University (CN)
Affordable and clean energy
Openalex Percentile: Top 20%
Advanced Materials and Mechanics
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