Controlled macroscopic shape evolution of self-growing polymeric materials.

ABSTRACT: Living organisms absorb external nutrients to grow, changing their macroscopic shapes to meet various challenges through mass transport and integration. While several strategies have been developed to create dynamic polymers that allow for mainchain remodelings to mimic the growing ability of living organisms, most are limited to simple homogeneous growth without complex control of global geometric transformation during growth. Herein, we report an approach to design controlled, growth-induced shape transformation in synthetic materials, in which significant mass transport within the materials is induced by spatially controlled polymerization leading to reshaping the materials. This method is demonstrated using silicone systems made through anionic ring-opening polymerization (anionic ROP)

SUBMITTER: Xiong X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11876608 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature