Multipotent Elastomers via Tempering of Phase-Separated Dynamic Covalent Networks

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Mechanics of Materials

Background:

• Dynamic covalent networks (DCNs) offer tunable properties.
• Multipotent elastomers mimic stem cell adaptability.
• Thia-Michael bonds enable dynamic covalent chemistry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate tempering as a method to program mechanical properties of thia-Michael based DCNs.
• To explore the reversibility and tunability of mechanical properties through tempering.
• To establish a strategy for creating multipotent elastomers.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of DCNs using benzalcyanoacetate and thiol-functionalized PEG.
• Characterization of thia-Michael adduct formation and DRIPS morphology via Raman spectroscopy and AFM.
• Evaluation of mechanical properties using uniaxial tensile testing and cyclic loading-unloading experiments.

Main Results:

• Increasing tempering temperature reduced Young's modulus and maximum stress.
• High elastic recovery and low energy dissipation were maintained.
• The tempering process was found to be completely reversible and reprogrammable.

Conclusions:

• Tempering provides a simple, reprogrammable strategy to tune the mechanical properties of DCNs.
• This approach allows access to multipotent elastomers from a single feedstock.
• The findings enable the design of adaptable and tunable elastomeric materials.