Prof. Jan Lagerwall, physicist at the University of Luxembourg, has obtained a Proof-of-concept grant from the European Research Council. Uni.lu

Prof. Jan Lagerwall, physicist at the University of Luxembourg, has obtained a Proof-of-concept grant from the European Research Council. Uni.lu

The project aims to develop large-size sensors using cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers to detect complex strain patterns and dangerous loads in buildings.

Prof. Jan Lagerwall and his team are working on a project labelled REVEAL “Revealing complex strain patterns and dangerous loads using cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers”. The idea is to find solutions to improve on current technology used for monitoring the structural health of houses, bridges and public buildings. Mechanical sensors are typically one-dimensional with low spatial resolution that provide limited information about complex deformations.

Using cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers that change colour in response to mechanical deformation in buildings will provide two-dimensional distributed strain sensing with high resolution. “Distributed strain sensors are highly useful for detecting and monitoring cracks in concrete structures as a function of ageing and wear, and after extreme events like earthquakes, hurricanes, or flooding they can help determine if buildings have suffered dangerous plastic deformations,” says Lagerwall. “With the next generation of smart buildings being erected to counter these problems, there is a strong market opportunity for suitable mechanical sensors.”

A one-dimensional version could also be interesting for smart textiles, particularly in sports and healthcare clothing, wearable robotics and innovative fashion.

The ERC’s Proof-of-concept grant will allow the team to produce large-size cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers sheets and long fibres and assess their application potential. “We aim notably to ensure that the CLCE sheets show consistent and tuneable colour with sufficient time stability. Finally, we will assess how useful and efficient the products are in specific target applications”, explains Prof. Lagerwall.

The research project will continue until 2024, after which a commercialisation phase will start. This is the third ERC grant obtained by Jan Lagerwall. He received an ERC Consolidator Grant in 2015 to carry out fundamental research into liquid crystals and their composite materials, followed by an ERC PoC grant based on the Consolidator Grant research.