Elastic Microphase Separation Produces Robust Bicontinuous Materials

Bicontinuous microstructures are essential to the function of diverse natural and synthetic systems. Their synthesis has been based on two approaches: arrested phase separation or self-assembly of block copolymers. The former is attractive for its chemical simplicity, the latter for its thermodynami...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inarXiv.org
Main Authors Fernández-Rico, Carla, Schreiber, Sanjay, Hamza Oudich, Lorenz, Charlotta, Sicher, Alba, Tianqi Sai, Heyden, Stefanie, Carrara, Pietro, De Lorenzis, Laura, Style, Robert W, Dufresne, Eric R
Format Paper
LanguageEnglish
Published Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 22.04.2023
Subjects
Anisotropy
Block copolymers
Elastomers
Mechanical properties
Microbalances
Microstructure
Phase separation
Phase transitions
Robustness
Self-assembly
Stiffness
Thermodynamics
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Summary:Bicontinuous microstructures are essential to the function of diverse natural and synthetic systems. Their synthesis has been based on two approaches: arrested phase separation or self-assembly of block copolymers. The former is attractive for its chemical simplicity, the latter for its thermodynamic robustness. Here, we introduce Elastic MicroPhase Separation (EMPS) as an alternative approach to make bicontinuous microstructures. Conceptually, EMPS balances the molecular-scale forces that drive demixing with large-scale elasticity to encode a thermodynamic length scale. This process features a continuous phase transition, reversible without hysteresis. Practically, we trigger EMPS by simply super-saturating an elastomeric matrix with a liquid. This results in uniform bicontinuous materials with a well-defined microscopic length-scale tuned by the matrix stiffness. The versatility and robustness of EMPS is further demonstrated by fabricating bicontinuous materials with superior mechanical properties and controlled anisotropy and microstructural gradients.
ISSN:2331-8422