Multiplicity of actuated shapes in woven fabrics with twisted Janus fibres

Abstract

We investigate actuation of woven fabrics including active Janus fibres with an imposed twist, which bend in variable directions upon phase transition between isotropic and nematic state. The essential feature of textiles incorporating a pair of Janus fibres with a mismatched pitch or handedness of coiling is the existence of multiple stable shapes with different energies within a certain range of the extension coefficient. If the active fibres are closed into a ring, torsion develops to accommodate adjustment of the direction of bending. The structure is generally stabilised by adding more passive filaments, and multistability is observed also in this case.