Hystereses of volume changes in liquid single crystal elastomers swollen with low molecular weight liquid crystal

The hystereses of volume changes in liquid single crystal elastomers (LSCEs) swollen with a low molecular weight liquid crystal (LMWLC), 5CB, are studied as a function of temperature. The swollen LSCE shows significant hystereses in the volume changes at temperatures TNI and TA during the processes on heating and on cooling, where the temperature TNI is the apparent nematic-isotropic transition for outside LMWLC and TA the nematic-isotropic transition for LMWLC inside the LSCE. No significant hysteresis at TB however can be observed which is the nematic-isotropic phase transition temperature for equilibrium shape of the swollen LSCE (networks).