A piezoelectric thermoplastic elastomer containing a bent-core liquid crystal

A large (d(33) similar to 1 nm V-1) converse piezoelectric response of a polar smectic bent-core liquid crystal material confined in a biocompatible triblock copolymer was measured by Mirau interferometry. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) results show that the liquid crystal-polymer composite becomes aligned during compression molding leading to a vitrified macroscopic polarization without electric poling. These materials are promising for practical applications such as in soft actuator technologies, and in biomedical devices.