Morphing polymer voxels for dynamic information switching.

Authors

Lijun Cai, Zhangming Shen, Wang Zhang, Hongtao Wang, Joel K W Yang, Hong Liu, Mingchao Zhang

Published in

Science advances. Volume 12. Issue 39. Pages eaeg9993. Sep 25, 2026. Epub Sep 25, 2026.

Abstract

Conventional print is noninteractive, whereas modern electronic displays, even with improved energy efficiency, require continuous power input and generate electronic waste. Here, we report morphing polymeric voxels based on liquid crystal that enable seamless and reversible information display without onboard electrical power or integrated circuitry. Each voxel exhibits programmable dual birefringence arising from geometry-defined structural anisotropy and mesogen-defined material anisotropy. By mapping laser-writing angle and power, two distinct images are encoded within a single array. Mechanical deformation induces voxel buckling and hybrid director fields, reversibly switching brightness dominance between the two birefringence channels. This deformation-driven mechanism enables reversible transitions between preencoded images. Comprising only polymers and relying on passive optical modulation, the platform establishes a sustainable route toward circuit-free dynamic displays.

PMID:
42789726
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 26 Sep 2026.

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