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Optomechanical conversion by mechanical turbines


Type

Article

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Authors

KneŽević, M 

Abstract

Liquid crystal elastomers are rubbers with liquid crystal order. They contract along their nematic director when heated or illuminated. The shape changes are large and occur in a relatively narrow temperature interval, or at low illumination, around the nematic–isotropic transition. We present a conceptual design of a mechanical, turbine-based engine using photo-active liquid crystal elastomers to extract mechanical work from light. Its efficiency is estimated to be 40%.

Description

Keywords

40 Engineering, 51 Physical Sciences, 5104 Condensed Matter Physics

Journal Title

Physical Review Applied

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2331-7019
2331-7019

Volume Title

2

Publisher

American Physical Society (APS)
Sponsorship
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/E051251/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/J017639/1)
M. K. thanks the Winton Programme for the Physics of Sustainability and the Cambridge International Trust for financial support.