Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Agrawal A
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3648875 | biostudies-literature | 2013
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Nature communications 20130101
Biological tissues have the remarkable ability to remodel and repair in response to disease, injury and mechanical stresses. Synthetic materials lack the complexity of biological tissues, and man-made materials that respond to external stresses through a permanent increase in stiffness are uncommon. Here we report that polydomain nematic liquid crystal elastomers increase in stiffness by up to 90% when subjected to a low-amplitude (5%), repetitive (dynamic) compression. Elastomer stiffening is i ...[more]