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Highly Stretchable and Self-Healing "Solid-Liquid" Elastomer with Strain-Rate Sensing Capability
1State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, College of Polymer Science and Engineering , Sichuan University , Chengdu 610065 , China.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|May 9, 2019
Summary
Researchers developed novel solid-liquid elastomers (SLEs) that mimic human skin's velocity sensitivity. These materials exhibit tunable mechanical and electrical properties based on strain rate, enabling advanced sensor applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Human skin possesses remarkable velocity-sensitive tactile perception.
- Conventional solid-liquid materials often suffer from fluidity and irreversible deformation.
- Developing synthetic materials with tunable mechanical properties remains a challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create "solid-liquid" elastomers (SLEs) that replicate the velocity-sensitive characteristics of human skin.
- To engineer materials with adaptable mechanical and electrical responses to varying strain rates.
- To overcome limitations of traditional solid-liquid materials for advanced applications.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of SLEs by interpenetrating polyborosiloxane (PBS) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).
- Utilizing the dynamic boron/oxygen dative bonds in PBS for time-dependent network behavior.
- Incorporating carbon nanotubes into SLEs to impart strain-rate-dependent electrical conductivity.
Main Results:
- The interpenetrating network structure provides elasticity and stability, preventing fluidity and deformation.
- SLEs exhibit a strain-rate-dependent modulus due to the dynamic nature of the PBS network.
- Carbon nanotube-infused SLEs show electrical conductivity that varies with strain rate.
- The dynamic network contributes to energy dissipation, high stretchability, and self-healing capabilities.
Conclusions:
- The developed SLEs successfully mimic human skin's velocity sensitivity.
- These materials offer tunable mechanical and electrical properties responsive to strain rates.
- The unique properties enable the fabrication of advanced skin-like sensors capable of distinguishing contact velocities.
- The inherent self-healing and stretchability expand potential applications in flexible electronics and robotics.
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