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Elytra-Mimetic Aligned Composites with Air-Water-Responsive Self-Healing and Self-Growing Capability
Zhongwu Bei1, Yang Lei1, Rui Lv1
1Institute for Interdisciplinary Research and Department of Polymer Science, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056 People's Republic of China.
ACS Nano
|August 20, 2020
Summary
This study introduces a new self-healing and self-growing composite material inspired by insect exoskeletons. This adaptable material demonstrates remarkable strength and self-repair capabilities triggered by air and water.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biomimetic Materials
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Insect exoskeletons exhibit remarkable room-temperature self-healing and self-growing properties.
- This capability in insect cuticle is linked to specific biochemical components within its lamellar structure.
- Synthetic materials currently lack analogous self-healing and self-growing functionalities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To mimic the laminar-structure-based intelligence of insect exoskeletons in synthetic materials.
- To develop a composite material with adaptable and growable properties.
- To create a material that responds intelligently to environmental triggers like air and water.
Main Methods:
- Incorporation of pyrogallol (PG)-borax dynamic-covalent bonds into a poly(acrylamide)-clay network.
- Utilizing crack formation and water accumulation to trigger PG deprotection.
- Leveraging atmospheric O2 for PG oxidative self-polymerization to initiate self-healing and growth.
Main Results:
- Fabricated composites with aligned lamellar structures exhibit air/water-triggered superstrong adhesion.
- Demonstrated outstanding self-repairing, self-sealing, and resealing capabilities.
- Achieved a 4- to 10-fold increase in material strength (up to 51 MPa) through self-growing in outdoor conditions.
Conclusions:
- The developed strategy successfully imitates insect cuticle's self-healing and self-growing properties.
- The pyrogallol-borax dynamic-covalent system enables intelligent responses to environmental stimuli.
- This research paves the way for advanced air/water-responsive composite materials for adaptive barriers.
