Final Report Summary - PHELIX (Photo-Engineered Helices in Chiral Liquid Crystals)
Addressing this challenge, the project "Phelix" has drawn inspiration from living materials where the ingenious coupling of active molecules with anisotropic soft matter promotes the emergence of original and adaptive optical and shape-shifting properties at the macroscopic level.
One of the most significant results of the project is the demonstration that the motion of a molecular photo-switch can be amplified in versatile soft springs, by extracting the working principles from "the power of movement in plants", that inspired Darwin already centuries ago. These biomimetic springs produce useful work, and they adapt their mechanical response to stress, in a manner that mimics the active response of muscle fibers and tendons.