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Highly compressible glass-like supramolecular polymer networks.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Huang, Zehuan 
O'Neill, Stephen JK 
Wu, Guanglu 
Whitaker, Daniel J 

Abstract

Supramolecular polymer networks are non-covalently crosslinked soft materials that exhibit unique mechanical features such as self-healing, high toughness and stretchability. Previous studies have focused on optimizing such properties using fast-dissociative crosslinks (that is, for an aqueous system, dissociation rate constant kd > 10 s-1). Herein, we describe non-covalent crosslinkers with slow, tuneable dissociation kinetics (kd < 1 s-1) that enable high compressibility to supramolecular polymer networks. The resultant glass-like supramolecular networks have compressive strengths up to 100 MPa with no fracture, even when compressed at 93% strain over 12 cycles of compression and relaxation. Notably, these networks show a fast, room-temperature self-recovery (< 120 s), which may be useful for the design of high-performance soft materials. Retarding the dissociation kinetics of non-covalent crosslinks through structural control enables access of such glass-like supramolecular materials, holding substantial promise in applications including soft robotics, tissue engineering and wearable bioelectronics.

Description

Keywords

Extracellular Matrix, Hydrogels, Polymers, Tissue Engineering, Water

Journal Title

Nat Mater

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1476-1122
1476-4660

Volume Title

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Sponsorship
European Commission Horizon 2020 (H2020) Marie Sk?odowska-Curie actions (845640)
EPSRC (2342310)
EPSRC (1944645)
Leverhulme Trust (RP2013-SL-008)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/R512461/1)
European Research Council (726470)
CDT