Fabrication of Tough and Stretchable Hybrid Double-Network Elastomers Using Ionic Dissociation of Polyelectrolyte in Nonaqueous Media

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.9b00871
• Publication Date: 2019-04-30T11:21:54Z
• Authors: Takahiro Matsuda; Tasuku Nakajima; Jian Ping Gong
• Keywords: Brittleness; Hydroxypropyl cellulose; Strain hardening exponent

The double-network (DN) structure is a state-of-the-art strategy used for toughening soft materials. challenge widespread applications, however, the difficulty in synthesizing two interpenetrating networks with contrasting architecture, i.e., one network brittle and sparse other stretchable dense. Such structures are formed to toughen hydrogels via two-step sequential synthesis of highly swellable polyelectrolyte subsequent aqueous media; this approach not directly applicable fabricating tough DN elastomers from low-polar polymers. Herein, we propose fabricate solvent-free comprising hybridized polyacrylic network. Because swell significantly high-dielectric media, can be fabricated using an organic cosolvent extremely high dielectric constant. By removing solvent, obtained polyelectrolyte–elastomeric polyacrylate elastomers, which exhibit moderate elastic modulus (∼1 MPa), distinct yielding, strength (∼5 MPa nominal stress), large stretchability (∼2000% strain) accompanied by strain-hardening fracture toughness (∼104 J m–2). volume ratio key parameter governing mechanical performance. This broadens polymer choices developing robust elastomers.