Mechanically Adaptive Polymers Constructed from Dynamic Coordination Equilibria

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Vol. 63; no. 17; pp. e202400758 - n/a
• Main Authors: Zhao, Zi‐Han, Chen, Shi‐Yi, Zhao, Pei‐Chen, Luo, Wen‐Lin, Luo, Yan‐Long, Zuo, Jing‐Lin, Li, Cheng‐Hui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 22.04.2024
• Edition: International ed. in English
• Subjects: 3D printing; Coordination; coordination polymers; Damping capacity; Energy dissipation; External stimuli; Impact resistance; Mechanical properties; mechanically adaptive properties; Polymers; self-healing polymers; Service life; Stimuli; Three dimensional printing; coordination polymers self-healing polymers 3D printing mechanically adaptive properties energy dissipation
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.202400758

Designing materials capable of adapting their mechanical properties in response to external stimuli is the key to preventing failure and extending their service life. However, existing mechanically adaptive polymers are hindered by limitations such as inadequate load‐bearing capacity, difficulty in achieving reversible changes, high cost, and a lack of multiple responsiveness. Herein, we address these challenges using dynamic coordination bonds. A new type of mechanically adaptive material with both rate‐ and temperature‐responsiveness was developed. Owing to the stimuli‐responsiveness of the coordination equilibria, the prepared polymers, PBMBD‐Fe and PBMBD‐Co, exhibit mechanically adaptive properties, including temperature‐sensitive strength modulation and rate‐dependent impact hardening. Benefitting from the dynamic nature of the coordination bonds, the polymers exhibited impressive energy dissipation, damping capacity (loss factors of 1.15 and 2.09 at 1.0 Hz), self‐healing, and 3D printing abilities, offering durable and customizable impact resistance and protective performance. The development of impact‐resistant materials with comprehensive properties has potential applications in the sustainable and intelligent protection fields. This work proposes a novel strategy with reversible coordination equilibria for fabricating rate‐ and temperature‐responsive mechanically adaptive materials. Based on dynamic coordination interactions, the developed polymers demonstrate excellent energy dissipation, damping, self‐healing and 3D printing properties, providing potential applications in durable and customizable impact protection fields.