Entropy and interfacial energy driven self-healable polymers.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 32098954.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-020-14911-y and PMC identifier 7042321.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Although significant advances have been achieved in dynamic reversible covalent and non-covalent bonding chemistries for self-healing polymers, an ultimate goal is to create high strength and stiffness commodity materials capable of repair without intervention under ambient conditions. Here we report the development of mechanically robust thermoplastic polyurethane fibers and films capable of autonomous self-healing under ambient conditions. Two mechanisms of self-healing are identified: viscoelastic shape memory (VESM) driven by conformational entropic energy stored during mechanical damage, and surface energy/tension that drives the reduction of newly generated surface areas created upon damage by shallowing and widening wounds until healed. The type of self-healing mechanism is molecular weight dependent. To the best of our knowledge these materials represent the strongest (S<sub>f</sub> = 21 mN/tex, or σ<sub>f</sub> ≈ 22 MPa) and stiffest (J = 300 mN/tex, or E ≈ 320 MPa) self-healing polymers able to repair under typical ambient conditions without intervention. Since two autonomous self-healing mechanisms result from viscoelastic behavior not specific to a particular polymer chemistry, they may serve as general approaches to design of other self-repairing commodity polymers.
Medical subject headings
- Polyurethanes