Linear
organic–inorganic polyureas (PUreas) with polyhedral
oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) cages in the main chains were synthesized
via polycondensation of diamines with carbon dioxide (CO2). First, 3,13-dianilino double decker silsesquioxane (denoted 3,13-dianilino
DDSQ) was synthesized. An α,ω-diamino-terminated poly(propylene
oxide) as well as the POSS diamine was exploited for polycondensation
with CO2; PUrea and PUrea-DDSQ with sufficiently high molecular
weights were obtained with various contents of POSS. The morphological
investigation shows that the linear PUreas with POSS cages in the
main chains were microphase-separated; the POSS cages were aggregated
into spherical microdomains with the size of 50–120 nm in diameter.
Owing to the introduction of POSS cages, PUrea was transformed from
a viscous liquid into elastic solids in the ranges of composition
investigated. At room temperature, linear organic–inorganic
PUreas behaved as cross-linked elastomers. This behavior is ascribed
to the generation of physical cross-linking with POSS microdomains
as the cross-linking sites. In addition, the organic–inorganic
PUreas displayed self-healing properties via the dynamic exchange
of multiple hydrogen bonds. It was found that the self-healing properties
were significantly affected by the content of 3,13-dianilino DDSQ.