Mesoporous silica nanoparticles doped in liquid crystal elastomers for synergetically enhancing vibration damping and energy absorption properties

Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) have recently emerged as a promising candidate for energy dissipation applications owing to their particular energy dissipation mechanism. However, there are limitations faced by LCEs in practical applications, such as performance degradation during high-frequency vibration and lack of mechanical strength. This study proposes doping of mesoporous silica nanoparticles to enhance the strength and energy absorption properties of LCEs. Besides, the composites’ mechanical properties and energy absorption characteristics under quasi-static and dynamic conditions are comprehensively investigated. Accordingly, the enhancement principle of the composite is also analyzed. Experimental results demonstrate a 20 % enhancement in energy absorption under 5 J impact conditions, accompanied by an increase of more than eight times in the storage modulus and the loss modulus, respectively, during high-frequency vibration testing (f = 100 Hz).