Doubly dynamic polymer
networks were synthesized with two distinct
exchangeable cross-linkers. The first linker is highly dynamic and
rapidly exchanging hydrogen bonded 2-ureido-4[1H]-pyrimidinone
(UPy) and the second is a thermoresponsive furan-maleimide Diels–Alder
adduct (FMI). Two network architectures were considered: an interpenetrating
network (IPN) where one network is cross-linked with the UPy linker
and the other is cross-linked with the FMI linker, and a single network
(SN) where both the UPy and FMI linkers are in the same single network.
Remarkably, the IPNs were superior to the SNs with the same composition
of the UPy and FMI cross-linkers when comparing peak stress, strain
at break, fracture toughness, malleability, and self-healing. Both
materials studied were stable and creep resistant under ambient conditions.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.