Fig. 3: Shape programming techniques based on mechanical stress programming.

a More elaborate programmed shapes are achieved by reshaping LCE sheets around a mold. Scale bars: 10 mm. Reproduced from ref. ¹¹ with permission from the Royal Society of Chemistry. b Cutting LCE samples into new geometries and programming specific parts of the sample induces selective shape changes in the same specimen. Scale bars: 5 mm. Reproduced from ref. ¹² with permission. © 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH. c Non-linear shape changes can be realized by fabricating layered composites or by patterning the mechanically instilled mesogen alignment. Scale bars: 5 mm. Reproduced from ref. ²⁰ with permission. © 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim. d 3D printing can be employed for fabricating LCEs with complex geometries, ready for further shape-programming. Reprinted with permission from ref. ²⁴. Copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society.