High toughness, healable, self-cleaning polydimethylsiloxane elastomers with "rigid-while-flexible" mutual network...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Smart Materials

Background:

• Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomers are crucial for electrical systems but face challenges in balancing mechanical strength and self-healing capabilities.
• Existing PDMS materials struggle to reconcile conflicting molecular mechanisms for optimal mechanical and healing properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop advanced PDMS elastomers with superior mechanical and healing properties for electrical applications.
• To address the limitations of current PDMS materials in reconciling mechanical integrity and self-repair functionalities.

Main Methods:

• A "rigid-while-flexible" network structure was created by copolymerizing rigid polyimide (PI) with flexible segments into PDMS backbones.
• Dynamic reversible crosslinking was incorporated into the PDMS structure to enhance material properties.

Main Results:

• The synthesized PSiPI elastomer demonstrated high toughness, tensile strength, and elongation at break.
• Excellent healing efficiency, recyclability, good insulation, and corona damage healing properties were observed.
• Healable superhydrophobic coatings and flexible conductors were successfully fabricated using the PSiPI elastomer.

Conclusions:

• The "rigid-while-flexible" design approach successfully reconciled mechanical and healing properties in PDMS elastomers.
• The developed PSiPI elastomer offers a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution for high-performance electrical and electronic applications.
• This approach provides a new pathway for designing advanced functional polymers.