Supramolecules with topological characteristicshave attracted great interest both experimentally and theoretically. A new kind of gel has been obtained by chemically cross-linking polyrotaxane molecules in solution. The polymer chains are topologically interlocked figure-of-eight cross-links (see Figure), which can pass along the freely to equalize "tension" threaded just like pulleys.

An amphiphilic hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene self-assembles to form a pi-electronic, discrete nanotubular object. The object is characterized by an aspect ratio greater than 1000 and has uniform, 14-nanometer-wide, open-ended hollow space, which order of magnitude larger those carbon nanotubes. wall 3 nanometers thick consists helical arrays the pi-stacked graphene molecule, whose exterior interior surfaces are covered hydrophilic triethylene glycol chains. graphitic nanotube redox active,...

Tougher when stressed Hydrogels are typically weak materials because they contain only a small fraction of polymeric material highly swollen with water. Strength can be increased by adding extra cross-linking or interpenetrating networks some sacrificial bonds to enhance toughness; however, these properties deteriorate upon stretching and may slow recover after relaxation. Liu et al. developed polyethylene glycol hydrogels cross-linked moderate fractions polymers that form sliding rings....

Abstract Stimuli-sensitive hydrogels changing their volumes and shapes in response to various stimulations have potential applications multiple fields. However, these not yet been commercialized due some problems that need be overcome. One of the most significant is conventional stimuli-sensitive are usually brittle. Here we prepare extremely stretchable thermosensitive with good toughness by using polyrotaxane derivatives composed α-cyclodextrin polyethylene glycol as cross-linkers...

Gels with high mechanical performance have attracted great interest because of their potential biomedical applications. Tough gels reported thus far usually contain sacrificial species to dissipate energy, compromising the fatigue resistance. In this study, highly stretchable and recoverable can be achieved by cross-linking cyclodextrin (CD)-based polyrotaxane a low host coverage, synthesized via one-pot enzymatic end-capping reaction 90% yield ∼2% CD coverage (PR02). The allows cross-links...

The demand for mechanically robust polymer-based electrolytes is increasing applications to wearable devices. Young’s modulus and breaking energy are essential parameters describing the mechanical reliability of electrolytes. former plays a vital role in suppressing short circuit during charge-discharge, while latter indicates crack propagation resistance. However, polymer with high moduli generally brittle. In this study, tough slide-ring solid electrolyte (SR-SPE) through trade-off between...

The whisker method using anisole solvent was developed for effective production of high-aspect-ratio poly (3-alkylthiophene) (P3AT) nanofibers, and alkyl chain length dependence on nanofiber formation their properties were fully investigated. nanofibers have an anisotropic cross section 3−4 nm height 24−27 width, which slightly increase with the length, aspect ratio reaches 100−1000. consist more than 104 parallel stacks extended polymer backbones along long axis 2−3 laminated layers...

New electroactive supramolecular fibers have been formed by self-assembly of the derivatives tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) in liquid crystals. These are designed and prepared introducing TTF moiety to scaffold derived from amino acids such as L-isoleucine whose function organogelators. TTF-based gelators form stable fibrous aggregates first example hydrogen-bonded one-dimensional having moieties electrical conductivities were measured after doping. Their electronic states also characterized...

ABSTRACT A novel type of gel, called a topological has been recently developed with supramolecular architecture characteristics. In the polymer chains bulky end groups are neither covalently crosslinked as in chemical gels nor attractively interacting physical but topologically interlocked by figure‐eight shaped crosslinks. Hence, these crosslinks can pass along freely to equalize tension threading similarly pulleys; this is pulley effect . This concept be applied not only also wide variety...

An elastomer is a three-dimensional network with cross-linked polymer chain that undergoes large deformation small external force and returns to its original state when the removed. Because of this hyperelasticity, elastomers are regarded as one best candidates for matrix material soft robots. However, comprehensive performance required materials special challenge because improvement some properties often causes deterioration others. For example, an in toughness can be realized by adding...

A dielectric elastomer actuator with excellent electromechanical performance was fabricated by incorporating modified barium titanate into slide-ring materials necklace-like molecular structure.

In this study, the quasi-static fracture behavior of slide-ring gels (SR gels), in which movable cross-links can slide on polymer chains, is for first time investigated and compared to that conventional with fixed (FC gels). For usual FC gels, there a trade-off relation between toughness (fracture energy [Formula: see text]) stiffness (Young's modulus E): increasing cross-linking density, Young's E increases, while text] decreases. However, SR show an unusual contradicts relation. The...

A facile approach to polymethacrylate networks that contain thermally exchangeable bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)disulfide (BiTEMPS) cross-linkers is reported, and the easily inducible healability reprocessability of obtained are discussed. The free radical polymerization BiTEMPS hexyl methacrylate (HMA) monomers afforded insoluble colorless poly(hexyl methacrylate) (PHMA) films, whose structures were characterized after de-cross-linking via thermal exchange reactions with added...

Stiff yet recoverable water-containing materials can be found in many biological tissues including tendons, cartilages, and skins. However, it remains a challenge to develop hydrogels as load-bearing where high stiffness toughness, well fast recoverability, are required. Making framework more compact with rigid chains could make gel stiffer but also restrict its recovery for lower chain mobility. Here, we report hydrogel by incorporating polyrotaxane into physically cross-linked network...

There is a growing demand for materials with high thermal conductivity, electrical insulation, flexibility, and toughness application in flexible electronic devices. To develop the aforementioned properties, composites comprising tough polyrotaxane (PR) highly thermally conductive hexagonal boron nitride particles (hBN) were fabricated this study. An electric field was applied during polymerization of to improve their conductivity out-of-plane direction without reducing flexibility....

Inclusion complex formation between polyaniline with emeraldine base and β-cyclodextrin has been studied by the frequency-domain electric birefringence (FEB) spectroscopy in a solution of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The FEB results show that cyclodextrin changes its conformation from coil to rod at low temperature (below 275 K), some rodlike images are observed on substrate STM. These suggest cyclodextrins threaded onto confine polymer chain one....