A stretchable, mechanically robust polymer exhibiting shape-memory-assisted self-healing and clustering-triggered...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Developing self-healing and recyclable polymers often compromises mechanical strength.
• Noncovalent interactions are key to creating advanced polymer materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• Synthesize a polyurethane-urea elastomer with enhanced mechanical properties.
• Achieve shape-memory-assisted self-healing behavior in the elastomer.

Main Methods:

• Incorporated coordination and hydrogen bonds into the elastomer.
• Investigated supramolecular interactions and phased energy dissipation.
• Evaluated mechanical properties (strength, elongation, toughness) and shape-memory recovery.

Main Results:

• The optimized elastomer exhibited excellent mechanical properties: 76.37 MPa strength, 839.10% elongation at break, and 308.63 MJ m⁻³ toughness.
• Demonstrated effective self-healing facilitated by shape-memory recovery.
• Observed clustering-triggered emission with cyan fluorescence under UV light.

Conclusions:

• The developed elastomer offers a promising strategy for creating multifunctional materials.
• The material exhibits potential for applications in stimulus-responsive polymers and smart seals.
• The combination of mechanical robustness and self-healing properties is achieved through supramolecular engineering.