Swelling dynamics of liquid crystal elastomers swollen with low molecular weight liquid crystals.

We experimentally investigated the swelling behavior of thin films (approximately 150 microm) of liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) by low molecular weight liquid crystals (LMWLCs). The two LMWLCs used are the well-known nematic liquid crystals, 4-n-pentyl-4-cyanobiphenyl, and 4-methoxy-benzilidene-4-butyl-aniline. Both polydomain (POLY) and monodomain (MONO) LCE swelling are studied.