Shape‑Shifting Materials Powered by Chalcogen Bonds

Hongshuang Guo and collaborators from Tampere and Jyväskylä universities have developed liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) that combine shape memory and actuation using chalcogen bonds (Se⋯N and S⋯N interactions). Published in Angewandte Chemie (DOI: 10.1002/ange.202508101), the study shows that Se‑based LCEs enable reversible shape changes, rewritable surface patterns, and even light‑driven micro‑robots, while S‑based LCEs lack these dynamic behaviors. Advanced spectroscopy and theoretical modeling revealed how these non‑covalent interactions control the materials’ mechanical responses.