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Synthesis of Programmable Main-chain Liquid-crystalline Elastomers Using a Two-stage Thiol-acrylate Reaction
Published on: January 19, 2016
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3D printable adhesive elastomers with dynamic covalent bond rearrangement
Shiwanka V Wanasinghe1, Brent Johnson2, Rebekah Revadelo2
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA. d.konkolewicz@miamioh.edu.
Soft Matter
|June 21, 2023
Summary
New 3D-printable elastomers combine self-healing and adhesion for advanced applications. These materials enable dynamic bonding and complex structures, enhancing soft robotics and wearable electronics.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Robotics
Background:
- Repairable adhesive elastomers are crucial for applications like soft robotics and tissue regeneration.
- Designing materials with both strong adhesion and self-healing capabilities presents a significant challenge due to conflicting bond requirements.
- The 3D printability of these novel elastomers remains largely unexplored, limiting geometric design possibilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop 3D-printable elastomeric materials with integrated self-healing and adhesive properties.
- To overcome the design challenges posed by the contrasting requirements for adhesion and repairability in elastomers.
- To explore the potential of these materials in advanced manufacturing and soft robotics applications.
Main Methods:
- Incorporation of Thiol-Michael dynamic crosslinkers for repairability.
- Utilizing acrylate monomers to achieve strong adhesive properties.
- Employing digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing for fabricating complex structures.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated elastomeric materials with high elongation (>2000%) and self-healing stress recovery (>95%).
- Achieved strong adhesion to both metallic and polymeric surfaces.
- Successfully 3D printed complex functional structures and demonstrated shape-selective object lifting using soft robotic actuators with custom end effectors.
Conclusions:
- Developed versatile 3D-printable elastomers exhibiting both self-healing and strong adhesive characteristics.
- The Thiol-Michael chemistry and acrylate monomers effectively balanced dynamic bonding for repair and strong interactions for adhesion.
- The demonstrated 3D printing capability and soft robotic actuator applications highlight the potential for easily programmable functionality in advanced material systems.
