article published yes Minwook Park author Friedrich J Stricker author 7aca2cfc-46cf-11f0-abd3-8c96b5186745 Jesus Guillen Campos author Kyle D. Clark author Jaejun Lee author Younghoon Kwon author Megan T. Valentine author Javier Read de Alaniz author Surface-aligned liquid-crystal networks (LCNs) offer a solution for developing functional materials capable of performing a range of tasks, including actuation, shape memory, and surfaces patterning. Here we show that Diels–Alder cycloaddition can be used to prepare the backbone of planar aligned LCNs under mild ambient conditions without the addition of additives or UV irradiation. The mechanical properties of the networks have robust viscoelastic modulus and stiffness with a reversible local free volume change upon physical aging. This study shows new opportunities to design surface-aligned LCNs based on additive free step-growth Diels–Alder polymerization and enables the potential to incorporate a wider range of photochromic materials into LCNs. American Chemical Society2023 eng 2161-1653 3654185810.1021/acsmacrolett.2c00616 12133-39 yes M. Park, F.J. Stricker, J.G. Campos, K.D. Clark, J. Lee, Y. Kwon, M.T. Valentine, J. Read de Alaniz, ACS Macro Letters 12 (2023) 33–39. Park, Minwook, et al. “Design of Surface-Aligned Main-Chain Liquid-Crystal Networks Prepared under Ambient, Light-Free Conditions Using the Diels–Alder Cycloaddition.” <i>ACS Macro Letters</i>, vol. 12, no. 1, American Chemical Society, 2023, pp. 33–39, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.2c00616">10.1021/acsmacrolett.2c00616</a>. Park, Minwook, Friedrich J Stricker, Jesus Guillen Campos, Kyle D. Clark, Jaejun Lee, Younghoon Kwon, Megan T. Valentine, and Javier Read de Alaniz. “Design of Surface-Aligned Main-Chain Liquid-Crystal Networks Prepared under Ambient, Light-Free Conditions Using the Diels–Alder Cycloaddition.” <i>ACS Macro Letters</i>. American Chemical Society, 2023. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.2c00616">https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.2c00616</a>. Park M, Stricker FJ, Campos JG, et al. Design of surface-aligned main-chain liquid-crystal networks prepared under ambient, light-free conditions using the Diels–Alder cycloaddition. <i>ACS Macro Letters</i>. 2023;12(1):33-39. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.2c00616">10.1021/acsmacrolett.2c00616</a> Park, M., Stricker, F. J., Campos, J. G., Clark, K. D., Lee, J., Kwon, Y., … Read de Alaniz, J. (2023). Design of surface-aligned main-chain liquid-crystal networks prepared under ambient, light-free conditions using the Diels–Alder cycloaddition. <i>ACS Macro Letters</i>. American Chemical Society. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.2c00616">https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.2c00616</a> Park M, Stricker FJ, Campos JG, Clark KD, Lee J, Kwon Y, Valentine MT, Read de Alaniz J. 2023. Design of surface-aligned main-chain liquid-crystal networks prepared under ambient, light-free conditions using the Diels–Alder cycloaddition. ACS Macro Letters. 12(1), 33–39. M. Park <i>et al.</i>, “Design of surface-aligned main-chain liquid-crystal networks prepared under ambient, light-free conditions using the Diels–Alder cycloaddition,” <i>ACS Macro Letters</i>, vol. 12, no. 1. American Chemical Society, pp. 33–39, 2023. 218182026-05-06T10:55:24Z2026-05-12T10:03:44Z