Applied Mathematics and Mechanics >
Light-powered self-propelling boat via self-rotating liquid crystal elastomer rod
Received date: 2025-11-13
Revised date: 2026-02-22
Online published: 2026-05-06
Supported by
Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 12172001), the University Natural Science Research Project of Anhui Province of China (No. 2022AH020029), and the Anhui Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 2208085Y01)
Copyright
Light-driven self-excited soft swimming systems based on liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) offer a promising route toward autonomous motion. However, existing designs commonly rely on non-equilibrium oscillatory actuation and large-area or spatially distributed illumination. Here, we present a light-powered self-propelling boat actuated by a self-rotating LCE rod that operates around a steady-state equilibrium under static parallel illumination. While swimming, parallel light continuously irradiates the rod without the need for large-area coverage or moving illumination. A coupled theoretical model incorporating heat conduction and photomechanical response is developed to elucidate the self-propulsion mechanism. Analytical expressions for the light-induced lateral curvature and driving moment are derived to characterize the self-rotating dynamics. Numerical simulations reveal how the rod radius, light intensity, and support span influence the self-rotation angular velocity and self-propulsion speed. Experiments validate the theoretical predictions and demonstrate autonomous self-propulsion under static parallel illumination without moving light fields. The proposed system establishes a new physical mechanism for light-driven locomotion and provides design principles for scalable, untethered soft swimming robots, light-powered microtransport platforms, and adaptive micromotors.
Key words： self-sustained motion; boat; light-powered; liquid crystal elastomer (LCE); rotation
Xueru WANG , Pengxin WANG , Junjie CHEN , Chuanyang HUANG , Kai LI . Light-powered self-propelling boat via self-rotating liquid crystal elastomer rod[J]. Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, 2026 , 47(5) : 1065 -1084 . DOI: 10.1007/s10483-026-3378-8
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