Reversibly growing crosslinked polymers with programmable sizes and properties.

ABSTRACT: Growth constitutes a powerful method to post-modulate materials' structures and functions without compromising their mechanical performance for sustainable use, but the process is irreversible. To address this issue, we here report a growing-degrowing strategy that enables thermosetting materials to either absorb or release components for continuously changing their sizes, shapes, compositions, and a set of properties simultaneously. The strategy is based on the monomer-polymer equilibrium of networks in which supplying or removing small polymerizable components would drive the networks toward expansion or contraction. Using acid-catalyzed equilibration of siloxane as an example, we demonstrate that the size and mechanical properties of the resulting silicone materials can be significantly

SUBMITTER: Zhou X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10244334 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature