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Confinement-Locking Strategy Enables Ionogels With Remarkable Mechanical Robustness and Fatigue Resistance
Haiming Chen1,2, Chengyi Huang1,2, Kai Lu3,4
1Laboratory of Polymers and Composites, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, China.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|December 26, 2025
Summary
This study introduces a confinement-locking strategy for creating robust ionogels. These advanced ionogels exhibit superior mechanical properties and ionic conductivity, making them ideal for flexible electronics and energy devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Electrochemistry
Background:
- Ionogels are vital for flexible electronics but often lack mechanical robustness due to ionic liquid plasticization.
- Developing ionogels with high mechanical strength, conductivity, and fatigue resistance remains a significant challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel confinement-locking strategy for producing mechanically robust and fatigue-resistant phase-separated ionogels.
- To enhance the stability of hydrogen bonding networks and supramolecular interactions within ionogels.
Main Methods:
- A confinement-locking strategy was employed, confining soft segments within hard domains and ionic liquids within soft phases.
- Utilized polycaprolactone (PCL) as a soft segment, leveraging its strain-induced crystallization and interactions with ionic liquids.
- Investigated synergistic effects including hydrogen bonding, supramolecular interactions, and stress-damping mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Achieved exceptional tensile strength (∼45.4 MPa), fracture toughness (256.1 MJ·m⁻³), and elongation at break (1576.6%).
- Demonstrated high ionic conductivity (1.04 mS·cm⁻¹), tear strength (∼108.1 kJ·m⁻²), and a record fatigue threshold (8796 J·m⁻²).
- Exhibited excellent elastic recovery (>91%) and fatigue resistance.
Conclusions:
- The confinement-locking strategy effectively overcomes the mechanical limitations of traditional ionogels.
- The developed ionogels possess a unique combination of properties suitable for demanding applications like perceptive artificial ligaments.
- This approach offers a promising pathway for designing high-performance ionogels for advanced energy storage and flexible electronic systems.
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